What happened
On September 3, NIO founder and chairman Li Bin said during an earnings call that the auto industry is suffering a 'triple blow' from the AI boom, and that both the industry and NIO itself are significantly undervalued.
Li cited rising prices of memory, PCBs, copper, aluminum, and batteries as AI data centers compete for resources, disrupting supply and squeezing automaker profits.
He added that AI-related talent is migrating to embodied intelligence startups with ultra-high valuations, while capital market attention has shifted toward AI, making car makers appear less imaginative.
Why it matters
Li argues that short-term stock prices reflect current perceptions, not long-term operational quality — implying that traditional valuation frameworks miss the AI-driven transformation of automakers.
He positions NIO as an AI-era technology company, with each vehicle acting as an embodied intelligent agent that also supports distributed energy and edge computing, which could reshape how investors assess the sector.
Key facts
Li made the remarks on September 3 during an earnings communication.
He described three impacts: rising component costs, talent outflow to AI startups, and capital market attention diversion.
He believes NIO's full-stack technology, energy business, high-end brand, and user-based services are not fully priced in by the market.
What to watch next
Whether automakers can reverse talent drain by competing with AI startup valuations, and how they manage cost pressures from AI infrastructure-driven material demand.
Whether investor perception shifts as more companies frame themselves as AI-native or embodied intelligence players, affecting valuation levels across the auto industry.