https://www.scmp.com/rss/519762/feed Discover how China is becoming a global leader in robotics, integrating automation into industries and daily life. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Oscar Liu Oscar Liu A Shenzhen-based tech firm taking part in Hong Kong trade fairs is leveraging the city as a springboard for global expansion, with plans to list locally this year while using its computing power to help enter the North American market. Robert Chan Kwok-cheung, global strategy officer at EngineAI, said on Wednesday the company’s presence in the city was a strategic move to bypass technical and geopolitical hurdles. EngineAI, which is one of Shenzhen’s “eight great guardians of embodied... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3348686/shenzhen-robot-maker-turns-hong-kong-computing-power-and-listing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3348686/shenzhen-robot-maker-turns-hong-kong-computing-power-and-listing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 11:12:45 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Shares of Hong Kong-listed UBTech jumped after the robotics firm reported a surge in 2025 revenue, driven by an explosive 23-fold rise in humanoid robot sales as China’s robotics sector moves into large-scale production. Revenue from full-size embodied intelligent humanoid robots and related services reached 820 million yuan (US$119 million) last year, making it UBTech’s largest business line. That marked a 2,203 per cent increase from a low base of 35.6 million yuan in 2024, according to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348635/ubtech-surges-leaps-and-bounds-humanoid-robot-sales-jump-23-fold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348635/ubtech-surges-leaps-and-bounds-humanoid-robot-sales-jump-23-fold?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:59:28 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow A “ChatGPT moment” for China’s humanoid robots – the tipping point at which the technology becomes widely usable – remains years away as persistent challenges in adapting to new tasks and training efficiency continue to hold back the industry, leading experts said on Wednesday at the Boao Forum for Asia in Hainan. Despite rapid advances in recent years, humanoid robots were still far from large-scale deployment, with both hardware and software limitations yet to be fully resolved, panellists... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347864/why-chinas-humanoid-robots-are-still-waiting-their-chatgpt-moment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347864/why-chinas-humanoid-robots-are-still-waiting-their-chatgpt-moment?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 01:15:07 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen China’s Unitree Robotics has filed for a long-awaited initial public offering (IPO) on Shanghai’s Star Market, seeking to raise about 4.2 billion yuan (US$607.8 million). Widely seen as a bellwether for China’s emerging humanoid robotics industry, Unitree’s listing, if approved, could become a landmark test of investor appetite for so-called embodied AI companies. Here is what you need to know about Unitree, including how it makes a profit while peers are still burning cash, its shareholder... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347611/inside-unitrees-landmark-ipo-what-know-about-chinas-humanoid-giant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347611/inside-unitrees-landmark-ipo-what-know-about-chinas-humanoid-giant?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 13:45:08 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Unitree Robotics, a Hangzhou-based maker of quadruped and humanoid robots, has filed for an initial public offering (IPO) on Shanghai’s Star Market, seeking to raise 4.2 billion yuan (US$610 million) as revenue and profits surge on the back of rising interest in embodied artificial intelligence. The listing application has been formally accepted by Shanghai’s exchange following a “preliminary review” on Friday. The 10-year-old company recorded revenue of 1.71 billion yuan last year, up 335 per... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347365/chinas-unitree-robotics-rides-humanoid-tide-it-targets-us610m-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347365/chinas-unitree-robotics-rides-humanoid-tide-it-targets-us610m-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 13:00:16 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Artificial intelligence is stepping off the screen and into the physical world, as Chinese engineers integrate OpenClaw, the open-source AI agent that has taken China by storm, into robots capable of executing real-world tasks. Domestic robotics giant Ecovacs unveiled Bajie, a robot integrated with OpenClaw, at the Appliance and Electronics World Expo in Shanghai last week. Equipped with a robotic arm and gripper mounted on a round, vacuum-shaped wheeled base, Bajie demonstrated its ability to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3346916/how-chinese-robot-makers-are-tapping-openclaw-take-real-world-tasks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3346916/how-chinese-robot-makers-are-tapping-openclaw-take-real-world-tasks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Eunice Xu,He Huifeng Eunice Xu,He Huifeng Tech giant Xiaomi has tested self-developed humanoid robots for car production, as the company pushes forward with plans to deploy “a large number” of self-developed humanoid robots in its own factories over the next five years, company founder Lei Jun has said. Lei, also Xiaomi’s CEO and chairman, shared an article on Monday about trial operations in the firm’s car production facility, where the robots were said to have operated autonomously for three continuous hours, successfully completing... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345263/xiaomi-deploy-large-number-humanoid-robots-its-factories-within-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345263/xiaomi-deploy-large-number-humanoid-robots-its-factories-within-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 08:16:22 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited China’s eastern tech hub of Hangzhou on Thursday and met leading figures including those from Alibaba Group Holding and Unitree Robotics, signalling growing international recognition of the country’s robotics and artificial intelligence technologies. Merz had lunch and took group photos with local entrepreneurs, including Alibaba CEO Eddie Wu Yongming and Unitree founder and CEO Wang Xingxing, according to a social media account run by Chinese state... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3344835/germanys-merz-meets-chinas-tech-vanguard-including-alibaba-and-unitree-ceos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3344835/germanys-merz-meets-chinas-tech-vanguard-including-alibaba-and-unitree-ceos?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 06:23:19 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat Xiaomi is doubling down on its five-year plan for core technologies including chips, artificial intelligence and operating systems, aiming to position itself as a deep-tech player amid China’s self-reliance push, while peers such as Li Auto and Xpeng accelerate moves into humanoid robotics. Lei Jun, founder, chairman and CEO of the Beijing-based smartphone and electric vehicle giant, on Tuesday said private technology firms must deepen investment in core technologies and speed up the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3344572/xiaomi-deepens-push-chips-and-ai-peers-race-humanoid-robotics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3344572/xiaomi-deepens-push-chips-and-ai-peers-race-humanoid-robotics?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 07:29:56 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Last August, Beijing hosted the world’s first ever robotics competition, hailed as the Olympics for robotics, where human-shaped biped robots competed in sports events. Opening the grand show was a piano piece performed by a human pianist and a humanoid robot developed by Beijing-based start-up LinkerBot, which specialises in making dexterous hands for humanoids. The LinkerBot robot pianist was equipped with the company’s L6 mode of dexterous hands, designed for refined and delicate operations... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3344242/doraemon-dexterous-hands-chinas-linkerbot-equips-robots-human-skills?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3344242/doraemon-dexterous-hands-chinas-linkerbot-equips-robots-human-skills?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Gerui Wang Gerui Wang The 2026 Spring Festival Gala, one of the world’s most-watched television events, featured a dazzling array of humanoid robots. They performed martial arts, executed intricate sword dances and even took part in a comedy skit alongside human celebrities. While parts of the world still view humanoid robots with a mixture of fear and suspicion, as potential job-stealers or sci-fi villains, China is increasingly embracing them as partners in work, entertainment and daily life. Amid the escalating... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3344083/humans-vs-robots-china-begs-disagree?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3344083/humans-vs-robots-china-begs-disagree?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 21:30:09 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow China’s Unitree Robotics plans to ship as many as 20,000 humanoid robots this year, up from about 5,500 in 2025, according to chief executive Wang Xingxing, after the company drew global attention with its appearance at Monday night’s Spring Festival Gala. Speaking to domestic tech outlet 36Kr after the show, Wang said global humanoid robot shipments could reach “tens of thousands” this year, with Unitree accounting for roughly 10,000 to 20,000 units of that total. The projection follows another... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3343825/kung-fu-somersaults-and-scale-unitree-eyes-20000-robot-output-2026-after-gala?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3343825/kung-fu-somersaults-and-scale-unitree-eyes-20000-robot-output-2026-after-gala?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 09:32:46 +0000 Wency Chen,Vincent Chow Wency Chen,Vincent Chow China’s leading humanoid robotics companies dominated the opening of this year’s Spring Festival Gala, the annual variety spectacle staged by state broadcaster CCTV that offers a rare nationwide marketing platform akin to the US Super Bowl, highlighting the central role of the industry in Beijing’s industrial policy. Four robotics firms – Hangzhou-based Unitree, Wuxi-based Magiclab, Beijing-based Galbot and Noetix – had announced partnerships with this year’s gala in deals said to be valued at... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3343634/chinas-tech-companies-vie-attention-cctvs-festival-gala-years-biggest-stage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3343634/chinas-tech-companies-vie-attention-cctvs-festival-gala-years-biggest-stage?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 22:00:15 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Before humanoid robots realise their longer-term potential as efficient industrial workers, a more immediate role is emerging in China: on-demand entertainment. For 999 yuan (US$145), customers can now rent a humanoid robot to dance, perform and pose to order. That proposition is being trialled by Botshare – known in Chinese as Qingtianzu, or “Optimus rent” – which last weekend rolled out a “999 yuan robot experience programme for everyone” ahead of Valentine’s Day and the Lunar New... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3342943/factory-floor-dance-floor-humanoids-find-path-market-us145?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3342943/factory-floor-dance-floor-humanoids-find-path-market-us145?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Chinese robotics firms continue to secure fresh financing, including from state-backed funds, as investors shift focus from hardware to the “brains” of humanoids – the software and operating systems that underpin their intelligence. Alongside hardware-centric companies like Unitree Robotics, a new wave of firms is emerging with capital directed towards robotic software and operating systems. Shenzhen-based humanoid robot maker LimX Dynamics announced on Monday the completion of its US$200... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3342246/funding-surge-powers-chinese-robotics-firms-focus-shifts-humanoid-brains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3342246/funding-surge-powers-chinese-robotics-firms-focus-shifts-humanoid-brains?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 12:00:38 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press As the new robot called Sprout walks around a Manhattan office, nodding its rectangular head, lifting its windscreen-wiper-like “eyebrows” and offering to shake your hand with its grippers, it looks nothing like the sleek and intimidating humanoids built by companies like Tesla. Sprout’s charm is the point. A five-year-old child could comfortably talk at eye level with this humanoid, which stands one metre (three feet) tall and wears a soft, padded exterior of sage-green foam. Forged by stealth... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3341774/forget-soulless-humanoid-robots-teslas-optimus-ones-more-wall-e?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3341774/forget-soulless-humanoid-robots-teslas-optimus-ones-more-wall-e?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 11:15:08 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow Chinese fintech giant Ant Group has open-sourced its first artificial intelligence models for robotics, as it steps up efforts to build machine intelligence capable of handling complex real-world tasks. The move signals a deeper push by the Hangzhou-based Ant into embodied intelligence – AI systems designed to perceive, reason and act in physical environments rather than purely digital settings. The company is the fintech affiliate of Alibaba Group Holding, owner of the South China Morning... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3341842/ant-groups-open-source-push-aims-move-robots-lab-demos-real-world-work?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3341842/ant-groups-open-source-push-aims-move-robots-lab-demos-real-world-work?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 13:00:11 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Tesla’s falling car deliveries and declining profitability on the mainland have not stopped its Chinese electric-car rivals from imitating the US firm’s transition into an artificial intelligence entity. Xpeng, Li Auto and Nio, dubbed as Tesla challengers over the past decade, have taken similar steps to diversify into emerging technologies and position themselves for the future of transport. These Chinese firms are now building next-generation vehicles, flying cars, robots and chips to create... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3341771/how-teslas-ai-shift-prompting-chinese-wannabes-expand-tech-offerings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3341771/how-teslas-ai-shift-prompting-chinese-wannabes-expand-tech-offerings?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 04:49:50 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Morgan Stanley expects China’s humanoid robot sales to grow 133 per cent to 28,000 units this year, while noting that falling production costs will gradually make owning robots more accessible. The US investment bank revised its forecast from the 14,000 units previously on the back of the rapid growth of the industry in the world’s second largest economy. The cost of materials to produce robots in China, home to most of the industry’s supply chain, was set to drop 16 per cent this year, the bank... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3341646/morgan-stanley-expects-chinas-humanoid-robot-sales-double-revised-forecast?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3341646/morgan-stanley-expects-chinas-humanoid-robot-sales-double-revised-forecast?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 14:00:10 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Tesla confirmed that its annual revenues fell for the first time in the company’s history last year, as the firm announced plans to pivot towards humanoid robots and possibly build its own semiconductor factories during an earnings call on Wednesday. The US-based company reported total revenues of US$94.8 billion for 2025, down by 3 per cent compared with the previous year. But revenues and gross profits beat analysts’ estimates in the final quarter of last year, coming in at US$24.9 billion and... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3341613/tesla-reports-first-ever-annual-revenue-decline-chinas-ev-giants-zoom-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3341613/tesla-reports-first-ever-annual-revenue-decline-chinas-ev-giants-zoom-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 02:25:52 +0000 Ni Tao Ni Tao Hangzhou’s space industry got off to a flying start in 2026. On January 7, China’s leading private rocket firm Space Epoch broke ground on a medium-to-large liquid rocket assembly, testing and reuse facility in Hangzhou’s Qiantang district. Basing this in the port city allows the rockets to be transported by sea to launch areas in the East China Sea and recovered the same way. Logistics alone do not explain the decision. Space Epoch is plugging into an industrial ecosystem Hangzhou has been... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341303/how-hangzhous-tech-ecosystem-nurtures-dragons-and-rockets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341303/how-hangzhous-tech-ecosystem-nurtures-dragons-and-rockets?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 08:30:09 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng China’s Spring Festival has emerged as a high-stakes arena for artificial intelligence and robotics companies, with tech giants Tencent Holdings and Baidu committing a combined 1.5 billion yuan (US$215 million) to their digital red packet campaigns. Chinese social media and gaming giant Tencent announced on Sunday that its AI chatbot app Yuanbao would give away 1 billion yuan in hong bao – the traditional red envelopes containing cash gifts. Users could win up to 10,000 yuan through lucky draws... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3341262/chinese-tech-giants-tencent-and-baidu-join-fight-spring-festival-spotlight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3341262/chinese-tech-giants-tencent-and-baidu-join-fight-spring-festival-spotlight?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 10:00:29 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu China’s Eyou Robot Technology has launched the world’s first automated production line for robot joints, positioning itself to capture growth ahead of a projected surge in humanoid robot shipments. The plant, based in Pudong, Shanghai, opened last Wednesday with an annual capacity of 100,000 units, with scope to triple output. Founded in 2018, Eyou supplies domestic humanoid robot makers, including industry leader AgiBot. The company achieved mass production of its products in 2023, with annual... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3341229/chinas-eyou-opens-worlds-first-automated-line-humanoid-robot-joints?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3341229/chinas-eyou-opens-worlds-first-automated-line-humanoid-robot-joints?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 09:00:14 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng China accounted for more than four out of five humanoid robot installations globally in 2025, driven by domestic start-ups AgiBot and Unitree Robotics, as mass production and commercialisation accelerated, according to a report by Counterpoint Research. A total of 16,000 humanoid robots were installed globally in 2025, mainly for data collection and research, as well as in the logistics, manufacturing, and automotive sectors, according to Counterpoint data released on Wednesday. The market was... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3340142/china-dominates-global-humanoid-robot-market-over-80-installations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3340142/china-dominates-global-humanoid-robot-market-over-80-installations?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jan 2026 09:00:10 +0000 Wency Chen,Xinmei Shen Wency Chen,Xinmei Shen Humanoid robot guides, stair-climbing robo-vacuum cleaners and exoskeletons for hikers were all among the exhibits at the world’s largest electronics show as artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly finds a role in the physical world. Chinese companies made up about a quarter of the 4,000-plus exhibitors at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), underlining how the country is at the forefront of developments that could turn AI-powered robots into mainstream household items. The large Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3339813/humanoid-robot-guides-hiker-exoskeletons-ces-2026-round?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3339813/humanoid-robot-guides-hiker-exoskeletons-ces-2026-round?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 04:11:13 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Shenzhen is positioning itself for a bigger role in the global robotics arena after the city’s tech firms pledged to accelerate the roll-out of humanoid robots in line with Premier Li Qiang’s call to bolster industrial adoption of the technology. Li, during his trip to China’s southern tech hub, urged enterprises in emerging technologies – including robotics and drones – to speed up new iterations and upgrades so that more industries and households could benefit, according to Xinhua news... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3338938/shenzhen-poised-bigger-role-world-robotics-arena-firms-vow-boost-output?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3338938/shenzhen-poised-bigger-role-world-robotics-arena-firms-vow-boost-output?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 10:14:45 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng When hailing a car on Uber, riders usually choose between economy and premium options. But in certain areas in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates, the first choice that flashes on the screen is “autonomous”. The availability of driverless cars underscores the urgency of the nation’s push to promote clean energy and reduce dependence on oil and gas. At the forefront of this effort are Chinese robotaxi developers, which see the Middle East as one of their starting points for global... https://www.scmp.com/news/china-future-tech/ai/article/3337979/how-chinese-robotaxi-giants-are-steering-middle-east-towards-driverless-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china-future-tech/ai/article/3337979/how-chinese-robotaxi-giants-are-steering-middle-east-towards-driverless-future?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2026 03:00:11 +0000 Wency Chen,Coco Feng Wency Chen,Coco Feng China’s biggest tech companies and a clutch of fast-rising consumer electronics brands are battling for coveted sponsorship slots at the Spring Festival Gala, as intensifying competition in artificial intelligence turns the country’s most watched television broadcast into a rare nationwide marketing battleground. Major players including ByteDance, Tencent Holdings and Alibaba Group Holding had all held discussions with state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) over high-stakes... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3337806/tech-giants-go-prime-time-fight-chinas-biggest-audience?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3337806/tech-giants-go-prime-time-fight-chinas-biggest-audience?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Dec 2025 11:00:08 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Chinese humanoid robot maker UBTech Robotics is moving to lock down key manufacturing capacity, agreeing to pay nearly 1.7 billion yuan (US$237 million) in cash to take control of Shenzhen-listed mechanical component maker Zhejiang Fenglong as it pushes to scale up humanoid robot production. The two-stage deal will begin with UBTech acquiring a 29.99 per cent stake in Fenglong from existing shareholders for 1.16 billion yuan, followed by a voluntary partial offer to buy a further 13.02 per cent... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337708/ubtechs-us237-million-fenglong-deal-tightens-humanoid-robot-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337708/ubtechs-us237-million-fenglong-deal-tightens-humanoid-robot-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Dec 2025 12:00:16 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng AgiBot, one of the fastest-growing robotics start-ups in China, has set its sights on exceeding 1 billion yuan (US$142 million) in revenue for 2025, as the industry accelerates the commercialisation and large-scale deployment of humanoid robots. AgiBot was expected to ship a total of 5,000 humanoid robots in 2025, chairman and CEO Deng Taihua said in a company event on Monday. AgiBot’s output and sales targets, which the start-up confirmed on Tuesday, were expected to maintain “multi-fold”... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3337477/chinas-agibot-targets-us142-million-revenue-march-humanoid-robots-gathers-pace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3337477/chinas-agibot-targets-us142-million-revenue-march-humanoid-robots-gathers-pace?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 23:00:12 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong The odds seemed impossible: a shoestring Chinese start-up founded in 2023 with just 1 million yuan (US$142,000) taking on Elon Musk – tech legend, disrupter in space and CEO of Tesla – who is valued at half a trillion dollars. But in less than two years, EngineAI Robotics, led by CEO Zhao Tongyang, created the T800 – a robot that delivers Bruce Lee-style roundhouse kicks with the force of a small car – and, under the instruction of smiling engineers and scientists, tried it first on the boss... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3336182/how-chinas-us150000-robotic-start-beat-tesla-boss-elon-musk-2-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3336182/how-chinas-us150000-robotic-start-beat-tesla-boss-elon-musk-2-years?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Dec 2025 14:00:09 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov Humanoid robot maker Unitree Robotics has teased what it calls the world’s first humanoid robot “app store”, a developer platform designed to bring embodied intelligence into everyday life by allowing users to access and control robots directly through their smartphones. The Hangzhou-based robotics unicorn unveiled a centralised programme, dubbed the Unitree Robotics Developer Platform, offering functions such as datasets and remote control programmes for humanoids. Unitree called it the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3336380/chinas-unitree-teases-platform-allowing-users-control-robots-through-smartphones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3336380/chinas-unitree-teases-platform-allowing-users-control-robots-through-smartphones?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Dec 2025 08:49:43 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong Imagine a robot that could tie your shoelaces to the perfect degree of tightness, or a robotic hand capable of performing abdominal surgery and then suturing the wound with impeccable precision. You might assume these feats would rely on complex electronic sensors, and yet a breakthrough by Chinese scientists has made it possible for robots to rival the skill of experienced surgeons – even with their “eyes closed” – using just a simple knot. The achievement, by an interdisciplinary team from... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3335515/one-small-step-ai-chinese-scientists-make-giant-leap-humanity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3335515/one-small-step-ai-chinese-scientists-make-giant-leap-humanity?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Dec 2025 14:00:12 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen A pale-grey, nearly one-metre-tall, four-legged robot drew crowds at Tokyo’s International Robot Exhibition, lowering itself down some steps before lifting its right foreleg as if to greet onlookers. It rolled around one of the exhibition halls on wheels, avoiding obstacles in its path. The quadruped, dubbed the D5, is the latest model unveiled on Wednesday by Chinese robot maker Pudu Robotics at IREX – a biennial industry showcase at Tokyo Big Sight from December 3 to 6. It is Pudu’s second... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3335381/chinas-pudu-robotics-rolls-out-overseas-charm-offensive-robot-dog?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3335381/chinas-pudu-robotics-rolls-out-overseas-charm-offensive-robot-dog?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Dec 2025 01:00:15 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov A Shenzhen-based humanoid robotics start-up, known for the dexterity of its robots, has received fresh funding from a fund under China Mobile, demonstrating how Chinese state and private sector money is pouring into robotics. Daimon Robotics Technology, co-founded by Wang Yu, dean of the robotics institute at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), and his student Duan Jianghua, said in a statement on Wednesday that Lianchang Fund, backed by China’s largest mobile operator,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3335084/shenzhen-robotics-start-daimon-secures-china-mobile-backing-ai-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3335084/shenzhen-robotics-start-daimon-secures-china-mobile-backing-ai-push?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2025 12:00:14 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao China’s Tsinghua University has set up a new cross-disciplinary institute to undertake robotics research, the latest sign of increased academic support from its top universities as the country doubles down on the embodied intelligence competition with the US. The Institute for Embodied Intelligence and Robotics will integrate resources from Tsinghua’s different schools, including automation, mechanical engineering, electronic engineering and computer science. Embodied intelligence is a field of... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3334952/chinas-tsinghua-university-sets-research-institute-latest-push-robotics-talent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3334952/chinas-tsinghua-university-sets-research-institute-latest-push-robotics-talent?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:25 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng China is building a talent pipeline for the booming robotics industry, with the country’s top universities launching undergraduate courses in embodied intelligence to support Beijing’s ambitions to overtake the US. Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Zhejiang University were among a batch of seven prestigious universities that had recently applied to add “embodied intelligence” as a new course, China’s education ministry said in November. The new programme was driven by the demands of a national... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3334779/top-chinese-universities-offer-courses-embodied-intelligence-aid-robotics-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3334779/top-chinese-universities-offer-courses-embodied-intelligence-aid-robotics-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Dec 2025 23:00:12 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Chinese carmakers, which are increasingly deploying robots in factories, are now moving into humanoid robotics following US rival Tesla despite a warning from Beijing about a potential investment bubble. State-owned Changan Automobile has become the latest entrant into the sector. The Shenzhen-listed company planned to invest 225 million yuan (US$31.8 million) for a 50 per cent stake in Changan Tianshu Intelligent Robotics Technology, according to an exchange filing on Friday. The company... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3334796/changan-auto-becomes-latest-mainland-chinese-carmaker-join-humanoid-robot-bandwagon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3334796/changan-auto-becomes-latest-mainland-chinese-carmaker-join-humanoid-robot-bandwagon?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Dec 2025 13:00:07 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen UBTech Robotics, one of China’s top robot manufacturers, said on Tuesday it had secured a major contract to deploy humanoids at border crossings to perform tasks such as guiding travellers, conducting inspections and handling logistics, as the country intensified efforts to apply robotics in the real world. The company has struck a 264 million yuan (US$37 million) deal with a humanoid robot centre in Fangchenggang, a coastal city in the southern autonomous region of Guangxi, which shares a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3334081/ubtech-wins-us37-million-deal-deploy-humanoid-robots-china-vietnam-border-crossings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3334081/ubtech-wins-us37-million-deal-deploy-humanoid-robots-china-vietnam-border-crossings?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Nov 2025 12:00:11 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang UBTech Robotics, one of China’s top makers of humanoid robots, plans to raise HK$3.11 billion (US$399.6 million) through a share placement in Hong Kong – its sixth and largest such fundraising since last year, riding on growing industrial orders and the sector’s momentum. The Shenzhen-based company aimed to sell 31,468,000 new shares for HK$98.80 each, representing a discount of around 11.4 per cent from the closing price on Monday, according to a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange on... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3334021/chinas-ubtech-robotics-eyes-us400-million-hong-kong-share-placement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3334021/chinas-ubtech-robotics-eyes-us400-million-hong-kong-share-placement?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Nov 2025 02:59:37 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) appointed Unitree Robotics founder Wang Xingxing and AgiBot co-founder Peng Zhihui to a national humanoid robotics committee, alongside other entrepreneurs and scholars. Wang and Peng – hailed as robotics’ “twin stars” – joined as vice-directors of the Standardisation Technical Committee for Humanoid Robots, which would be led by MIIT chief engineer Xie Shaofeng, according to an announcement on Monday. The committee’s 65 members... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3333964/unitree-agibot-founders-chinas-robotics-stars-join-panel-shape-industry-standards?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3333964/unitree-agibot-founders-chinas-robotics-stars-join-panel-shape-industry-standards?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Nov 2025 01:00:16 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Xiaomi has open-sourced a new foundation model that integrates autonomous driving and embodied artificial intelligence, as the Chinese smartphone and electric-vehicle (EV) manufacturer seeks to enhance its AI capabilities. MiMo-Embodied, which comes after Xiaomi’s first large language model MiMo launched in April, was described as the “first open-source vision-language model” that combined autonomous driving and embodied AI tasks. Technical reports and project files are available on platforms... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3333787/xiaomi-open-sources-ai-model-spanning-autonomous-driving-and-robotics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3333787/xiaomi-open-sources-ai-model-spanning-autonomous-driving-and-robotics?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Nov 2025 07:30:13 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen UBTech Robotics says it plans to expand its assembly of humanoid robots 10-fold next year to as many as 5,000 units and double that to 10,000 in 2027, as the scale economics of China’s advanced manufacturing prowess shaves a fifth off production costs every year. The Shenzhen-based company was on track to deliver 500 humanoid robots for industrial use by the end of this year, scaling up since delivering the first 10 droids last year, UBTech’s chief branding officer Michael Tam said during an... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3333427/ubtechs-2026-humanoid-robot-output-grow-10-fold-costs-plunge-scale-economics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3333427/ubtechs-2026-humanoid-robot-output-grow-10-fold-costs-plunge-scale-economics?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 13:00:17 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Unitree Robotics, one of China’s leading humanoid robot manufacturers, has completed its pre-initial public offering (IPO) tutoring process in only four months, a major step towards an onshore listing amid Beijing’s push for technological self-reliance and advancement, according to government documents. The Hangzhou-based unicorn passed regulatory checks with the Zhejiang Securities Regulatory Bureau, concluding a pre-listing tutoring period that began on July 18, the China Securities Regulatory... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3333047/chinas-unitree-robotics-completes-pre-ipo-tutoring-onshore-listing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3333047/chinas-unitree-robotics-completes-pre-ipo-tutoring-onshore-listing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 04:48:47 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Chinese companies are populating factory floors with human-shaped robots, according to Shenzhen-based UBTech Robotics, which claims to have racked up orders worth more than 800 million yuan (US$112 million) for its Walker S2 model this year. The robot maker said on Monday that it secured an order worth 159 million yuan from a company in Zigong, in southwest China’s Sichuan province – its second-largest single order, following one for 250 million yuan in September. UBTech, which in 2023 became... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3332372/chinas-humanoid-robots-get-factory-jobs-ubtechs-model-scores-us112-million-orders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3332372/chinas-humanoid-robots-get-factory-jobs-ubtechs-model-scores-us112-million-orders?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Nov 2025 11:30:47 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong Investment Corp (HKIC), the government’s investment arm, has joined other investors in committing US$200 million to the latest round of fundraising for surgical robot start-up Cornerstone Robotics, marking another milestone in the city’s push to develop its innovative industries, including biotechnology. “As a technology start-up based in the Greater Bay Area, Cornerstone Robotics has secured funding and support from HKIC,” the company said in a statement on Monday. “This is not just... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3332201/hong-kong-wealth-fund-backs-homegrown-surgical-robotics-start-boost-biotech-drive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3332201/hong-kong-wealth-fund-backs-homegrown-surgical-robotics-start-boost-biotech-drive?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 09:30:18 +0000 Wency Chen,Ann Cao Wency Chen,Ann Cao Humanoid robots, cyber dogs and robotic arms have made a strong impression at the eighth China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, as a robotics boom has turned machines from the sector into showstoppers. Hangzhou-based Unitree Robotics made its third appearance at the CIIE, where it displayed new models, including the lightweight, consumer-facing R1, a taller and more facially human-like H2, and an upgraded industrial-grade legged robot, the A2. At Unitree’s booth, crowds eagerly... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3331928/unitree-agibot-robots-steal-show-shanghais-import-expo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3331928/unitree-agibot-robots-steal-show-shanghais-import-expo?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Nov 2025 09:00:00 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang As a robot torch-bearer took the spotlight during the kick-off of the 15th National Games torch relay in Shenzhen on Sunday, China’s rapid advancements in both industrial and emerging humanoid robots were hailed as a pivotal force in the industrial economy. The humanoid robot Kuavo, developed by Shenzhen-based Leju Robotics, completed a 100-metre (328-foot) leg of the relay, gripping a 1.6kg (3.5-pound) torch as it passed the baton between runners, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Sunday. And... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3331343/chinas-industrial-robot-production-overtakes-2024-levels-amid-automation-drive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3331343/chinas-industrial-robot-production-overtakes-2024-levels-amid-automation-drive?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Nov 2025 11:30:07 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun A wave of humanoid robot launches in China this year has shaken up the market with eye-catching low prices – though some industry insiders warn the trend might not be financially attainable and could be driven more by hype and capital than by genuine technological progress. Beijing-based Noetix Robotics launched presales for its child-sized humanoid Bumi last week, selling more than 200 units at 9,998 yuan (US$1,408) each within the first three hours. Five hundred units were sold in the first... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3331069/chinas-robot-makers-race-roll-out-low-cost-humanoids-it-sustainable?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3331069/chinas-robot-makers-race-roll-out-low-cost-humanoids-it-sustainable?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Nov 2025 08:00:12 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Deep Robotics, a Hangzhou-based start-up, is facing a severe talent shortage, hindering its efforts to commercialise the results of its research and development, according to its chief technology officer (CTO). Li Chao, who is also a co-founder of the robot maker, said at the Bund Summit Financial Forum in Shanghai on Friday that highly skilled professionals were very much needed to help Deep Robotics take its business forward. He added that top talent in the algorithm area was in strong demand,... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3330263/little-dragon-deep-robotics-scrambles-top-talent-amid-chinas-quest-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3330263/little-dragon-deep-robotics-scrambles-top-talent-amid-chinas-quest-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Oct 2025 00:00:21 +0000