Chinese Startup Manifold AI Raises Fresh Funding as Investors Bet on ‘World Models’

Chinese startup Manifold AI has raised several hundred million yuan in fresh funding, highlighting growing investor interest in “world models,” an emerging area of artificial intelligence (AI) aimed at helping machines better understand and interact with the physical world.

The Beijing-based company said Thursday that new investors in the round included state-backed CRHC Fund, Temasek-backed InnoVen Capital, BAIC Capital and KHK Fund. Existing shareholders also increased their stakes. The startup, founded just over a year ago, said it has completed six funding rounds and raised nearly 1 billion yuan ($148 million) in total.