| This is Bloomberg Opinion Today, an android-filled anthology of Bloomberg Opinion’s opinions. Sign up here. Stiff-Upper Lip? That Robot Must Be British | In his latest column, Matthew Brooker laments the state of the UK robot industry. Even as the Labour government struggles to keep its promise to build 1.5 million homes in the next five years, a lack of workers both human and humanoid slows things down. There are non-human workers, some of whom — don’t tell the Brexit part of the electorate — are distinctly foreign. Says Matthew: “A construction automaton developed by Switzerland’s Schindler Holding AG was deployed in the UK for the first time at a net-zero office building in central London.” In another part of the city, a robotic arm created by ABB Ltd., a UK company, “is being used to cut and assemble timber-frame panels for sustainable homes below a railway line in an area that was once home to taxi-maintenance yards.” Otherwise, the British robot sector is far from what the industry is like in the US, Germany and Japan, much less global leader China.  That got me thinking: If countries get the robot race going in earnest, will locally-made androids dream in their own national languages and be patriotic (and stereotypical) in the ways Brits differ, say, from the Japanese and Americans and Chinese? As it is, humans differ in their attitudes toward robots (specifically AI-powered robots). Catherine Thorbecke notes that the Japanese seem most positive about co-existing in a future where robots are the friendly equals of humans. She says that Hiroshi Yamakawa, a prominent AI scholar from the University of Tokyo, has recommended that humans and humanoids “live in symbiosis and flourish together, protecting each other’s well-being and averting catastrophic risks.” Whether carbon- and silicon-based beings collaborate or fight it out for domination of the earth may depend on how much they like each other. Wouldn’t it be easier if we got along with our robots instead of fearing them? That would mean making them reflect ourselves and our traditions more faithfully. Who knows? It could one day be the solution to the population decline that so many advanced nations — like Japan — now confront. Or is that the very cyborg takeover we should fear? Small Business Share Giant Issues | A few weeks ago, I lamented the closing of Lyle’s, my favorite restaurant in London. In my latest column, you’ll find me rooting for my friend Sirichai Kularbwong, who hopes to revitalize and refresh his family’s quarter-century-old Thai restaurant, Singburi, in the British capital. Most restaurants are categorized as small businesses — but the problems are enormous for the diminutive adjective. Many chefs not only have to work the factory floor — so to speak — they are also CEO, CFO and CIO. Oh, and dishwasher too. “Restaurants are delicate things,” as I say in my column, especially the small ones that can exude so much magic. That’s why I’m more often than not cheerleading for them.  The new Singburi. Photograph by Howard Chua-Eoan/Bloomberg I’m in Turin, Italy, this week to cover this year’s reveal of The 50 Best Restaurants in the World. I won’t pretend to be impartial. I arrived hoping that chefs I’ve befriended through the years would do well. Since moving to London, I’ve been following the trajectory of Ikoyi, the eclectic creation of chef Jeremy Chan that amalgamates West African inspiration with his East Asian heritage and other culinary influences. The food is breathtakingly delicious. Last year, Ikoyi placed 42nd in the 50 best. This year, it was the biggest mover in the prestigious grouping, coming in at 15. Just like Michelin stars, you can argue about the objectivity of these rankings. Me? I want the restaurants I like to get recognized. Let’s see how high Chan can go next year. “President Donald Trump’s trade war has meant that almost everything to do with China is now viewed through the lens of geopolitics. In 2015, the privately held Shandong-based Landbridge Group — a Chinese logistics, infrastructure, and petrochemical firm — secured a 99-year lease for the strategically significant Port of Darwin, located just off the coast of the Indonesian border and near military bases that routinely host rotations of US Marines in Australia. … Still, despite the controversy, Darwin has yet to be flagged as a national security problem. Successive [Australian] governments, two federal reviews, a parliamentary inquiry and public statements found no cause for concern.” — Karishma Vaswani in “Not All Ports Are a National Security Threat.”  “Think of the most important markets for electric vehicles, and you’ll have a list of the usual suspects: Norway, China, Germany, the UK. But Dubai? It seems improbable, but OPEC’s second-biggest exporter deserves a place alongside those other markets. Fully-electric vehicles comprised 10% of the value of cars imported into the United Arab Emirates last year, according to trade data. Throw in hybrids and plug-in hybrids, and more than a quarter of the market is switching to batteries.” — David Fickling in “An EV Revolution Is Happening in the Heart of OPEC.” If Trump bunker-busts, what happens to non-proliferation? — Marc Champion Luxury is luxuriating, thank you. — Andrea Felsted When ads get added to WhatsApp. — Parmy Olson Britain’s relearning an old nuclear lesson. — Lara Williams Stop the steel steal in Japan! — Gearoid Reidy Britain needs to fix its elder care system. — Rosa Prince The ex-Marxist trying to save Sri Lanka. — Mihir Sharma Nvidia’s chip empire digs into Europe. — Lionel Laurent Thailand’s bad tariff timing. — Daniel Moss Walk of the Town: Where Royals Tread | Saint James’s is the Windsor dynasty’s working palace. Built by Henry VIII in the 16th century, the red brick, almost dusty manor isn’t showy like the king’s Buckingham residence down The Mall. It’s also organized like an office — with designated parking spaces for the princes and princesses.  Princess Anne’s limo parks here. Photograph by Howard Chua-Eoan/Bloomberg I got a quick tour of St. James’s outdoor configuration when I attended Sunday services at the small but stately Chapel Royal, which has a ceiling painted by Henry VIII’s favorite portrait painter, Hans Holbein the Younger (it was meant to celebrate his marriage to Anne of Cleves, but he quickly decided to divorce her). The rector of St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue — where I worship when I’m in New York — was in London preaching on Trinity Sunday, so I got to have a quick look-see. The late queen’s cousin, Princess Alexandra, was in attendance at the service. She was once sixth in line to the throne. The clergy bowed as they passed her. The congregation had to stand up when she entered and wait for her to exit before we could leave ourselves. In any case, the most interesting impression was an incised shoe print on one of the pilasters in a passageway to an inner courtyard.  Reserved for King Henry VIII? Photograph by Howard Chua-Eoan/Bloomberg Legend has it that it was where Henry VIII parked his foot for support to get off his horse. That is, when he was parking it. Things haven’t really changed much in 500 years. Sometimes, there’s nothing paltry about poultry.  “Run! I don’t think it knows how to chicken out!” Illustration by Howard Chua-Eoan/Bloomberg Notes: Please send pecking orders and feedback to Howard Chua-Eoan at hchuaeoan@bloomberg.net. Sign up here and find us on Bluesky, TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn and Threads. | 
