ICYMI — APAC tech, week 2 of June Issue #17 of Signals: APAC 👇 • Shopee cut 8% of its developer workforce • South Korea fined Coupang a record ~$400M over a breach affecting 34M users • EngineAI filed for a Hong Kong IPO • A coalition of Chinese tech companies launched a $577M deep-tech fund • Taiwan is moving to restrict AI chip exports to all Chinese buyers, not just blacklisted firms • Google sued a Chinese cybercrime network running AI-powered phishing operations at scale

Watch the Shenzhen-based EngineAI humanoid robot perform consecutive backflips!

Insane scene from the EngineAI T800 robot duel—yeah, the same type joined the Shenzhen’s SWAT team on patrol. One loses its head mid-fight yet stubbornly gets back up. The other just shakes its head, absolutely taunting its defeated rival. Seriously, is it a blessing or a bad news for humans?

Seeing the EngineAI T800 in Person At Smart Tech Korea 2026 in Seoul, one highlight was seeing the EngineAI T800 humanoid robot up close. While videos show its capabilities, seeing it in person revealed its true scale and presence. The robot knelt, greeted visitors, and performed dynamic movements that drew crowds throughout the exhibition. More than any single feature, the T800 reflected the rapid progress of humanoid robotics. The focus is shifting from simply walking to working reliably and interacting effectively with people. Watching both the robot and the crowd was fascinating, with reactions ranging from curiosity to amazement. My takeaway was simple: humanoid robotics is advancing faster than many people realize. (Video taken by the humanoid press team at Smart Tech Korea 2026, Seoul, South Korea.)

Chińskie roboty-humanoidy wchodzą na giełdę, a ty wciąż myślisz że twoja praca jest bezpieczna. EngineAI i Unitree nie sprzedają zabawek — sprzedają koniec ery ludzkiej siły roboczej. Za 5 lat każdy CEO który nie zautomatyzował fabryki będzie tłumaczył akcjonariuszom dlaczego wybrał droższych, wolniejszych ludzi.

Seeing the EngineAI T800 in Person At Smart Tech Korea 2026 in Seoul, one highlight was seeing the EngineAI T800 humanoid robot up close. While videos show its capabilities, seeing it in person revealed its true scale and presence. The robot knelt, greeted visitors, and performed dynamic movements that drew crowds throughout the exhibition. More than any single feature, the T800 reflected the rapid progress of humanoid robotics. The focus is shifting from simply walking to working reliably and interacting effectively with people. Watching both the robot and the crowd was fascinating, with reactions ranging from curiosity to amazement. My takeaway was simple: humanoid robotics is advancing faster than many people realize. (Video taken by the humanoid press team at Smart Tech Korea 2026, Seoul, South Korea.)

Seeing the EngineAI T800 in Person At Smart Tech Korea 2026 in Seoul, one highlight was seeing the EngineAI T800 humanoid robot up close. While videos show its capabilities, seeing it in person revealed its true scale and presence. The robot knelt, greeted visitors, and performed dynamic movements that drew crowds throughout the exhibition. More than any single feature, the T800 reflected the rapid progress of humanoid robotics. The focus is shifting from simply walking to working reliably and interacting effectively with people. Watching both the robot and the crowd was fascinating, with reactions ranging from curiosity to amazement. My takeaway was simple: humanoid robotics is advancing faster than many people realize. (Video taken by the humanoid press team at Smart Tech Korea 2026, Seoul, South Korea.)

Seeing the EngineAI T800 in Person At Smart Tech Korea 2026 in Seoul, one highlight was seeing the EngineAI T800 humanoid robot up close. While videos show its capabilities, seeing it in person revealed its true scale and presence. The robot knelt, greeted visitors, and performed dynamic movements that drew crowds throughout the exhibition. More than any single feature, the T800 reflected the rapid progress of humanoid robotics. The focus is shifting from simply walking to working reliably and interacting effectively with people. Watching both the robot and the crowd was fascinating, with reactions ranging from curiosity to amazement. My takeaway was simple: humanoid robotics is advancing faster than many people realize. (Video taken by the humanoid press team at Smart Tech Korea 2026, Seoul, South Korea.)

🌙 ZWYCIĘZCY I PRZEGRANI — WIECZÓR 14.06 ✅ Knicks mistrzowie NBA po 53 latach — Jalen Brunson sypie 45 punktów w Game 5, San Antonio Spurs wracają do Teksasu z niczym. Madison Square Garden nie widziało takiej nocy od 1973 roku, a Nowy Jork właśnie dostał najlepszy pretekst do świętowania od pokoleń. ✅ Chińskie roboty-humanoidy ruszają na giełdę — EngineAI składa wniosek w Hongkongu, Unitree celuje w $7 mld wyceny. Epoka, w której roboty chodzą po fabrykach, a ich producenci po parkietach, właśnie się zaczęła. Kto nie inwestuje, ten za 5 lat będzie tłumaczył wnukom, czego nie kupił. ❌ Izrael bombarduje Bejrut w przededniu pokoju — Trump wściekły, katarscy negocjatorzy w Teheranie, a izraelskie rakiety lądują w Libanie. Prezydent USA mówi wprost: "nie powinno się wydarzyć". Netanyahu gra swoją grę i ryzykuje przełomowe porozumienie z Iranem dla taktycznego kaprysu. ❌ Pakt Migracyjny UE startuje i od razu się sypie — protesty w Rzymie, Polska i Węgry poza mechanizmem solidarnościowym, Bruksela mówi o sukcesie. Największa reforma migracyjna od lat wchodzi w życie z tyoma wyjątkami, że bardziej przypomina dziurawy parasol niż system. 🔥 Wieczorna teza: w dniu, gdy Knicks wygrywają i chińskie roboty idą na giełdę, łapiemy się na tym, że łatwiej uwierzyć w humanoidalne AI niż w to, że politycy nie zepsują dobrego momentu.

ENGINEAI Robotics has successfully secured nearly 1 billion RMB in new funding across two rounds, Pre-A and A1. ► The Pre-A round was initiated by XPeng's Starship Capital. ► The A1 round was led by JD.com, with participation from CATL Capital, Huakong Fund, and others. This capital will fuel the company's growth in mass production and product line expansion, including three humanoid robots and a new quadruped model. They're also scaling up production with a target for upgraded systems by Q4 to ensure steady market delivery. On the tech side, their motion control team has developed self-engineered joints and leveraged Sim2Real tech for smooth, precise, high-dynamic actions. They also plan to host a "robot WWE" fighting league starting this December. #Robotics #AI #HumanoidRobot #ENGINEAI

В Китае во время боя роботов один из гуманоидов устроил другому настоящее фаталити: после удара у его соперника оторвалась голова. Робота зовут EngineAI T800

🇨🇳#China - In China, during a robot fight, one of the humanoids caused a fatality to another: the blow severed its opponent's head. The robot is called EngineAI T800. #AI 🃏

EngineAI, the Shenzhen-based humanoid robot maker known for its viral PM01 front-flip robot, has filed confidentially for a Hong Kong IPO at a valuation above $1.5 billion, joining a growing queue of Chinese robotics companies pursuing public listings. eastfrontier.com/engineai-fi…

👀 Rumor mill: EngineAI has reportedly filed for a Hong Kong IPO under confidential submission procedures. The company was founded less than 3 years ago, raised a $200M Series B in April, and is now rumored to be valued at over $1.4B USD. Humanoid robots are still in the early stages of commercialization, but the race to the public markets may already be underway. No official confirmation so far. Take it with a grain of salt.