“When it comes to AI accelerator, Tencent invests in a broad range of target segments, from medical image recognition, driverless cars, and voice recognition to applications in sectors like retail, art, energy, and humanoid robots,” said Patrick Tung, senior industry analyst at MIC.

“As for investment strategy, Tencent's AI investments are concentrated on robotics. Most of its applications are in micro-services and entertainment, while smart transport mainly uses car manufacturers in the US and Chinese markets, spanning smart cars from economy to premium models.”