Physix FrontierAI leaders bet on world models in 2026: Paradigm shift from Next Token to Next State
2026: AI Newcomers Collectively Bet on World Models: Paradigm Shift from Next Token to Next State
The next generation of AI companies may not necessarily be born in places with the largest parameters, most papers, and strongest computing power, but could emerge where real-world scenarios are densest, industrial feedback is most frequent, and engineering iteration is fastest. Because the way AI truly changes the world is not by staying behind screens answering questions about the world, but by entering industrial sites, understanding the world, simulating the world, acting upon the world, and ultimately improving the efficiency of the world's operation.
In 2026, the AI industry is collectively "escaping" pure text, fully advancing into the real physical world composed of gravity, momentum, and geometric space. The Beijing Zhiyuan Institute released the "Top 10 AI Technology Trends for 2026," listing world models as an important consensus direction towards AGI, proposing a paradigm shift from Next Token Prediction to Next State Prediction.
Industrial Capital Influx
- Jijia Vision: Accumulated 3.5 billion yuan in funding, becoming the first domestic unicorn in world models
- Qianxun Intelligence: Completed four rounds of financing and raised 4.5 billion yuan within the first three months of 2026
- Xinghaitu: After a nearly 1 billion yuan Series B, secured another nearly 2 billion yuan in Series B+ in April
- Manycore Tech: "Physical AI" new stock, surged 144% on its first day of listing
