Chinese authorities stopped the sale of ABB Robotics, owned by a Swiss conglomerate, to SoftBank of Japan amid wider scrutiny of global transactions that could affect Beijing’s technology ambitions.

© Moritz Hager/Reuters

Germany’s Neura is one of the companies at the forefront of efforts to use artificial intelligence in robotics, and crucial to whether Europe can close the gap with China.

© Roderick Aichinger for The New York Times