China is accelerating the next phase of AI

China is quietly reshaping the artificial intelligence race, and markets are starting to price a second centre of gravity for innovation and returns. According to deVere Group analysis, a multipolar AI world is taking shape, and that broadens the opportunity set for global investors. Chinas OpenClaw drives new ChatGPT wave for investors: deVere.

China is accelerating the next phase of AI: deVere Group Analysis

James Green, regional director at deVere Group with global experience across 18 regulated financial entities, notes that sentiment shifted after notable industry leaders framed OpenClaw as a credible peer to the best known conversational systems. The shift is less about a single headline and more about what comes next when AI moves from answering questions to completing tasks. The market is beginning to recognise that the next leg of value may accrue where intelligence meets execution.

From answering to doing

OpenClaw is described as an AI agent that can take actions such as booking transport or making reservations. This is a marked step beyond passive models that stop at text output. It points toward an AI layer that can follow intent through to completion across consumer and enterprise workflows. As Green puts it, AI is crossing from response to transaction. That change has direct implications for how revenue is created and captured.

Monetization moves up the stack

In recent sessions, providers of core models and enabling software for agentic systems have rallied. Yet deVeres view is that the larger, and more durable, opportunity may sit one layer above the model itself. Every action an AI agent completes can create a potential revenue event. Booking a ride, ordering food, scheduling a visit, filing paperwork, initiating a trade, or managing a subscription are all examples of events that can be intermediated, optimised, and monetised. The firms that embed agentic AI in daily user behaviour, and that orchestrate the flow of transactions, may be best placed to convert intelligence into cash flows.

Chinas integration advantage

What makes the current moment distinctive in China is the degree of integration across messaging, payments, commerce, logistics, and cloud. Major platforms can embed agentic capabilities into services that already handle identity and settlement. This reduces friction between intent and completion. When an AI agent sits inside a super app and has permission to act, it can move a user from inquiry to checkout in a single path. The result is speed to deployment and speed to monetization. For investors, that combination is powerful.

A pragmatic market response

Despite geopolitical tension, capital tends to follow functionality. When a platform demonstrates the ability to generate transactions and scale monetization, it attracts partners, users, and investment. The rise of OpenClaw as a credible agent framework does not replace western systems. It creates a parallel engine of innovation. In practice, this means investors can now assess a wider field of contenders across regions, each with distinct strengths in data, distribution, and regulation.

What this means for portfolios

For equity investors, the opportunity map extends beyond model builders to include application platforms, payment rails, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, and specialised data providers. Companies that control user access, handle trust and safety, and own the context in which actions occur are likely to capture a growing share of value. For credit markets, the ability of firms to translate AI adoption into predictable cash flows will be a key sorting mechanism. In private markets, the focus may shift toward startups that demonstrate embedded usage and clear unit economics within larger ecosystems.

Signals to watch

DeVeres investment team is tracking three signs of durable advantage. First, evidence that daily active users are engaging with agentic features repeatedly, not just experimenting. Second, partnerships that give AI agents permissioned access to inventory, payments, and logistics. Third, data showing that transaction take rates, not just subscriptions, contribute to revenue growth. When these signals line up, it often indicates a platform is progressing from novelty to utility.

Managing risk in a fast moving field

AI remains an early stage shift with uneven outcomes. Execution risk, regulatory oversight, and security concerns will shape adoption timelines. Investors should consider position sizing, diversification across regions and value chains, and scenario analysis for policy or export controls. Balance is crucial. Participation in the theme can be paired with quality filters, cash flow visibility, and governance standards to help mitigate downside while preserving upside.

A multipolar AI world broadens opportunity

The centre of AI leadership is no longer singular. With credible innovation in both East and West, investors can allocate along multiple axes of growth. Chinas scale, integrated platforms, and rapid iteration can accelerate the transition from intelligent output to action at the point of need. Western ecosystems remain strong in foundational research, open tooling, and enterprise deployment. A diversified approach that recognises complementary strengths may offer a more resilient exposure to the theme.

Converting intelligence into revenue

As James Green observes, the next phase of AI is about execution and ownership of the user journey. The firms that move a user from request to result, while maintaining trust and efficiency, stand to create recurring, transaction based revenue at scale. This is where the market may find the real upside. DeVeres assessment is that platforms embedding agentic AI into everyday life, with clear control of the transaction layer, will be central to AI driven market performance in the period ahead.