CITIC Securities: Current Global AI Computing Infrastructure Order Visibility Remains High, Maintaining Optimism on AI Industry Chain
CICC's analysts have once again put forward the conclusion of "being optimistic about the AI industry chain," citing "high order visibility." This sounds familiar, reminiscent of the same voices that proclaimed "AI is an industrial revolution" in 2023 and "computing power is the new oil" in 2024. High order visibility is certainly not a bad thing, but is it a reflection of genuine prosperity, or are downstream clients panic-buying amid the AI hype? When all cloud providers, automakers, and even
Analysis
In an interesting contrast to this macro optimism is the awkward term found in the Huanghe Industrial announcement: "Agentic AI." This seems like a microcosm of the current AI industry: concepts always outpace implementation, and vocabulary always grows faster than problem-solving capabilities. Agentic AI (intelligent agent AI) is widely recognized as the next frontier, but Huanghe Industrial, a company known for industrial and tech investments, is delving into "potential investments" so quickly? The disclaimers in the announcement, such as "no agreement has yet been entered into" and "may or may not materialize," read like a standard, cautious attempt to ride the trend in capital markets. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it raises the question: is Agentic AI just another "hype cycle" poised to be over-financialized and conceptualized? When a technical concept starts appearing frequently in listed companies' announcements about "potential investments," it often signals that it has moved beyond pure technical discussion and entered the realm of capital narrative. And the hallmark of capital narratives is their ability to obscure specific challenges with vague visions.
Placing these two pieces of information together perfectly outlines the fragmented reality of the current AI industry: on one side, the macro level (represented by brokerage reports) continues its triumphant march,坚信 that computing power is hard currency and the industry chain will continue to benefit; on the other side, the micro level (represented by corporate announcements) is rapidly chasing cutting-edge concepts, filled with trial, uncertainty, and potential risks of a bubble. News on hot lists also corroborates this divide. "Chat is Dead, GPT's Biggest Revision Ever" heralds the inevitable evolution of interaction forms, while "DingTalk VP Resigns" and "After Adopting AI, the Company Stops Hiring" reveal the real impact of AI on existing organizational structures and workplace ecosystems. An AI mathematician "posing problems in the morning and handing in proofs in the afternoon" is stunning, but does this prove AI's potential for general intelligence, or is it limited to excelling in closed, rule-bound mathematical domains? Progress and impact, vision and growing pains are forever intertwined.
Returning to the judgment of "high order visibility." It is not wrong in itself, but overemphasizing it causes one to overlook a more critical question: How efficiently can these orders be converted into profits and moats? Chip manufacturers are making a fortune, but what about downstream application vendors? How many are still running at a continuous loss? The boom in computing power infrastructure ultimately needs to be paid for by the commercial success of the applications built on top. If the application layer cannot sustain a viable profitability model for a long time, the current high "visibility" could evolve into future mountains of inventory and overcapacity. We have seen too many cases of technical infrastructure outpacing application adoption, from fiber networks to renewable energy capacity. History does not repeat itself simply, but it often rhymes.
Therefore, regarding CICC's "optimism," my view is: agree with caution. The trend of AI is irreversible, and the demand for computing power will continue to grow for a considerable period. But being optimistic about the "entire industry chain" is a correct but overly broad platitude. The real opportunities lie in segments that deeply integrate AI capabilities with specific industry knowledge to solve real-world problems, rather than broadly investing in "any concept related to AI." For moves like those of Huanghe Industrial, my view is: closely monitor its specific technical routes and business models, but maintain a healthy dose of skepticism toward any unimplemented "Agentic AI" investment story. The real intelligent agent revolution will not be born from an investment letter of intent announcement, but perhaps in a garage team's complete restructuring of workflows, or an engineer's relentless pursuit of agent reliability.
The AI industry is undergoing a difficult transition from a "phase of technological awe" to a "phase of value realization." During this process, grand narratives remain appealing, but what will truly determine victory or defeat are the tedious, specific details concerning efficiency, costs, and implementation outcomes. High visibility is a good thing, but don't forget, when the night is too deep, the distant lights can also easily become a mirage.
Disclaimer: The above content is generated by AI and is for reference only.