https://www.scmp.com/rss/519766/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 Shi Huang Shi Huang China looks set to claim another coup in its mission to build AI talent, with one of the world’s top scholars in artificial intelligence for robots listed among PhD supervisors at a Shanghai university. Su Hao, who holds two doctorates – one in mathematics and one in computer science – has appeared on Fudan University’s faculty list as a professor in electronic information specialising in AI. The list, published on March 31, names 322 PhD supervisors appointed this year. Previously, Su was a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349408/one-americas-top-ai-robot-scholars-about-join-chinas-tech-talent-pool?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349408/one-americas-top-ai-robot-scholars-about-join-chinas-tech-talent-pool?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 04:00:08 +0000 Jianlu Bi Jianlu Bi On the eve of the Chinese New Year, the Spring Festival Gala, one of the world’s most-watched television broadcasts, delivered more than just festive entertainment. It served as a high-definition manifesto of China’s “embodied AI” supremacy. International observers, from Reuters to El Pais, watched as humanoid robots from start-ups such as Unitree performed complex martial arts, backflips and synchronised dances. As Beijing-based tech analyst Poe Zhao noted, these humanoids represent the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3344742/how-us-ceded-robotics-economy-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3344742/how-us-ceded-robotics-economy-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 08:30:08 +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 Ji Siqi,Coco Feng,Xinyi Wu Ji Siqi,Coco Feng,Xinyi Wu On a day typically considered one of the happiest on the calendar for Chinese workers – the eve of Chinese New Year, when families gather for dinner in the midst of an extended public holiday – the annual Spring Festival Gala, the world’s most-watched television programme, left some in the viewing audience with a sense of profound disillusionment. As a troupe of humanoid robots break-danced, flipped, swung swords and performed comedy sketches at the gala, domestic AI brands occupied the show’s... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344920/iron-rice-bowl-vs-algorithm-why-chinas-economy-may-better-withstand-ai-shock?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344920/iron-rice-bowl-vs-algorithm-why-chinas-economy-may-better-withstand-ai-shock?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 22:00:19 +0000 Dominik Mierzejewski Dominik Mierzejewski As we get ready for the Year of the Horse, preparations for the Spring Festival Gala, the most important event on China’s television calendar, are well under way. Most viewers will see choreography, spectacle and national pride – as well as humanoid robots. Policymakers and markets, however, should see something else: a carefully staged signal of how China’s political economy is positioning for the next cycle of industrial overcapacity – and its global consequences. The gala has become a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3342407/after-solar-panels-and-evs-overcapacity-coming-chinas-robots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3342407/after-solar-panels-and-evs-overcapacity-coming-chinas-robots?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 08:30:08 +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 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 Massoud Amin Massoud Amin Power shifts begin in places most people never see – on assembly lines making batteries and robots, along transmission lines feeding data centre clusters, in local offices selling land and in labs training artificial intelligence models. The United States and China are using these quiet levers to construct different futures. The contest will be decided not by slogans but by who builds the most productive, trusted and durable infrastructure. Those choices will shape billions of lives. The global... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3330786/quiet-us-china-tech-contest-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3330786/quiet-us-china-tech-contest-future?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2025 21:30:09 +0000 Frank Tang Frank Tang US President Donald Trump’s administration needs to reverse the destructive policies undercutting America’s ability to compete with China in strategic hi-tech sectors or see Beijing race ahead, a leading member of the hardline US House Select Committee on China said on Wednesday. China’s commitment to the progress of tech innovation has caused unease in the United States, with Beijing’s continued investment in the industry standing in sharp contrast to the US government’s current shutdown and... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3330828/trump-must-do-more-win-us-china-tech-race-says-us-house-select-committee-member?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3330828/trump-must-do-more-win-us-china-tech-race-says-us-house-select-committee-member?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 20:32:13 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China’s geopolitical rivalry with the West is expanding into new frontiers – including the polar regions, outer space, cyberspace and the deep sea – as Beijing unveils a flurry of scientific milestones and state-driven ambitions that analysts say are challenging traditional Western dominance across these critical domains. On Monday, China announced that its independently designed and built polar research vessel – the world’s first manned deep-sea-operations depot ship with icebreaking... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3330611/chinas-geopolitical-competition-expands-new-frontiers-scientific-milestones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3330611/chinas-geopolitical-competition-expands-new-frontiers-scientific-milestones?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Oct 2025 13:00:10 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow When Alibaba Group Holding’s CEO Eddie Wu Yongming took the stage at the company’s annual Apsara conference in Hangzhou on September 24, few people expected the media-shy executive to deliver anything shocking, especially since he read from prepared statements at last year’s event. Wu, however, immediately outlined a clear road map for Alibaba’s AI development, with a goal towards so-called artificial superintelligence (ASI) – when the firm’s Qwen open-source models and cloud services would... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3328568/chinas-lesson-us-it-takes-more-chips-win-ai-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3328568/chinas-lesson-us-it-takes-more-chips-win-ai-race?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Oct 2025 04:00:13 +0000 Tilly Zhang Tilly Zhang Regardless of how trade talks go, the US-China tech rivalry isn’t going away. From each side’s perspective, maintaining a lead in futuristic technologies matters significantly for economic growth and national power. Now, we’re entering round two. The first round was mostly defined by US export controls aimed at slowing China’s development of advanced technologies. These measures might have delayed Chinese progress, but they didn’t stop it. As China gradually catches up in chips and artificial... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3326936/consumers-will-decide-course-us-china-tech-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3326936/consumers-will-decide-course-us-china-tech-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Sep 2025 08:30:09 +0000 Jeffrey Wu Jeffrey Wu On a humid Beijing track last month, the sprint to the future began. The athletes were not human; they were robots. The inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games brought 280 teams from 16 countries to compete in 26 events, from sprints to gymnastics to football. China’s Unitree dominated the track, X-Humanoid excelled in industrial tasks, while Neotix and Booster Robotics won in gymnastics and football. Triumphs were matched by mishaps: colliding, collapsing robots echoed earlier failures, when... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3324482/china-just-beat-us-soft-power-humanoid-robot-games?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3324482/china-just-beat-us-soft-power-humanoid-robot-games?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Sep 2025 12:30:08 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow Tesla has launched a new social media account on Weibo, China’s answer to X, to promote its artificial intelligence technology, a move that analysts view as a preliminary step towards introducing its humanoid robots in the country. The first two posts on the TeslaAI account, unveiled on Sunday, featured images and video of the Optimus robots in action. According to its introduction, the account will also showcase Tesla’s advances in autonomous driving, driverless ride-hailing and its Cortex... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3324837/tesla-targets-chinas-fast-growing-humanoid-robot-market-new-weibo-account?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3324837/tesla-targets-chinas-fast-growing-humanoid-robot-market-new-weibo-account?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2025 05:00:17 +0000 Xinyi Wu,Ji Siqi Xinyi Wu,Ji Siqi The founder of a prominent Chinese robotics start-up sees great value in working with American peers to advance the global development of humanoid robots – and his call for stronger collaboration between the fractious trade partners comes as China’s private sector is playing an increasingly larger role in innovation. “China has a deep foundation in manufacturing and hardware, while the United States possesses a rich AI software ecosystem,” said Wang Xingxing, founder and CEO of Hangzhou-based... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3318316/what-if-chinese-us-firms-make-humanoid-robots-together-tech-ceo-calls-collaboration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3318316/what-if-chinese-us-firms-make-humanoid-robots-together-tech-ceo-calls-collaboration?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jul 2025 11:30:08 +0000 Nora Mankel Nora Mankel A robotics laboratory at the National University of Defence Technology (NUDT) in central China’s Hunan province has developed a mosquito-sized drone for covert military operations. NUDT researchers showed their work on various types of robots – from humanoid machines to tiny drones barely visible to the eye – in a report aired on CCTV 7, China Central Television’s military channel, on the weekend. “Here in my hand is a mosquito-like type of robot. Miniature bionic robots like this one are... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3315206/chinese-military-robotics-lab-creates-mosquito-sized-microdrone-covert-operations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3315206/chinese-military-robotics-lab-creates-mosquito-sized-microdrone-covert-operations?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Jun 2025 08:01:07 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Chinese companies, including Huawei Technologies and Unitree Robotics, are grabbing plenty of attention at one of Europe’s largest technology shows in Paris this week, as Beijing commits to deepen technological ties with France amid an intensifying rivalry with the US. In a speech at the China Pavilion of the VivaTech trade show on Thursday, Chinese ambassador to France Deng Li said the country would continue to promote “open cooperation” and “peaceful development” in global technology, adding... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3314198/chinese-tech-champions-tencent-unitree-boost-european-ties-amid-us-trade-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3314198/chinese-tech-champions-tencent-unitree-boost-european-ties-amid-us-trade-war?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Jun 2025 13:32:38 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang The Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence (BAAI), a non-profit research laboratory in China, launched on Friday a series of new open-source artificial intelligence (AI) models designed to be the “brain” of robots, as the country rushes to build smarter machines. The use of powerful AI models in China’s booming robotics industry could accelerate the development and adoption of humanoids, as the sector addresses challenges such as limited model capabilities and a lack of training data,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3313372/beijing-academy-unveils-open-source-robobrain-ai-model-chinas-humanoid-robots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3313372/beijing-academy-unveils-open-source-robobrain-ai-model-chinas-humanoid-robots?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Jun 2025 23:00:10 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng China’s leading manufacturer of specialised cleaning robots for skyscrapers and solar panels is grappling with the suspension of its first deal with a US-based client over increased tariffs on Chinese products, as businesses face disruptions from US President Donald Trump’s trade policies. Guangdong Lingdu Intelligent Technology Development, which sells its robots under the brand X-Human, signed a contract worth 12 million yuan (US$1.6 million) with its first US customer earlier this year.... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3308845/chinese-maker-skyscraper-cleaning-robots-has-us-deal-suspended-after-trump-tariff-hike?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3308845/chinese-maker-skyscraper-cleaning-robots-has-us-deal-suspended-after-trump-tariff-hike?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 May 2025 23:00:13 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng A number of fast-rising start-ups in China’s artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics sectors vowed to “break foreign technological barriers” and “insist on self-reliance”, following a visit from President Xi Jinping in Shanghai. Their remarks echoed Xi’s message emphasising the importance of technological self-reliance, particularly in AI, during his visit to the Chinese financial capital on Tuesday. It was his first inspection trip since the US imposed sweeping tariffs, which have intensified... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3308523/chinese-ai-and-robotics-start-ups-agibot-xtalpi-respond-xis-self-reliance-call?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3308523/chinese-ai-and-robotics-start-ups-agibot-xtalpi-respond-xis-self-reliance-call?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Apr 2025 10:00:17 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Tesla’s production of Optimus, a robot that promises to take over household chores, has been disrupted by China’s curbs on rare earth exports, introduced by Beijing earlier this month in an escalating trade war with Washington. Speaking on the company’s earnings call on Tuesday, CEO Elon Musk said production was impacted by the “magnet issue”. While weeks of delays are expected as exporters grapple with tighter permit requirements for the key ingredients, Tesla is one of the highest-profile... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3307556/teslas-optimus-humanoid-robot-hit-chinas-rare-earth-export-controls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3307556/teslas-optimus-humanoid-robot-hit-chinas-rare-earth-export-controls?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Apr 2025 04:24:07 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen China’s manufacturing prowess poses an “existential threat” to the United States in the field of robotics, a research firm has warned, as Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) firms’ advances rival those of their American peers. Automation enabled by intelligent robots will allow for a massive expansion in production capacity across industries, and China is currently “the only country that is positioned” to achieve a high level of automation, according to a report published this week by US-based... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3302272/china-manufacturing-ai-pose-existential-threat-us-robotics-sector?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3302272/china-manufacturing-ai-pose-existential-threat-us-robotics-sector?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Mar 2025 13:00:12 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue Chinese miners have accelerated their investments in critical mineral projects overseas to support electric vehicle (EV) adoption and clean energy development, as Beijing seeks to secure more minerals amid geopolitical tensions. “Our long-term strategy is focused on key technologies that promote a low-carbon future,” said Xu Jiqing, the chairman of MMG, in an interview on Wednesday. “China’s urbanisation is far from over and the global trend towards decarbonisation is growing, as well as the... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3301361/cleantech-mineral-security-demand-drive-china-miners-overseas-buying-spree-mmg-chair?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3301361/cleantech-mineral-security-demand-drive-china-miners-overseas-buying-spree-mmg-chair?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Mar 2025 13:15:34 +0000 Zhou Xin Zhou Xin The jury is still out on when we will achieve artificial general intelligence (AGI) – the last great invention by humankind – to usher in an era when machines will be able to think, learn, and solve problems just like us. There are two scenarios regarding the dawn of AGI. The first suggests an exact launch date, much like the debut of a new smartphone or large language model (LLM). In this scenario, a charismatic founder from a leading Big Tech company – most likely from the United States –... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3300861/after-deepseek-china-gets-leg-quest-human-level-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3300861/after-deepseek-china-gets-leg-quest-human-level-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Mar 2025 23:00:22 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang The government-owned Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC), which manages HK$62 billion (US$8 billion) of funds, plans to debut a conference for young emerging artificial intelligence (AI) scientists, as the city strives to become a bridge between China and the world amid growing Sino-US technology rivalry. HKIC on Wednesday said it was organising an International Young Scientist Forum on Artificial Intelligence as part of its push to facilitate interactions and knowledge-sharing between... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3300351/hong-kong-launch-two-ai-forums-aimed-bridging-china-and-world-amid-us-tech-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3300351/hong-kong-launch-two-ai-forums-aimed-bridging-china-and-world-amid-us-tech-war?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Feb 2025 09:00:16 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen China has made significant progress in multiple industries under its “Made in China 2025” plan that Beijing initiated a decade ago, but the state-led initiative remains controversial on the global stage amid an escalating trade war with the US. In the latest China Future Tech webinar, South China Morning Post technology editor Zhou Xin, Political Economy Editor Jasmine Wang, Science News Editor Stephen Chen and Political Economy Correspondent Ralph Jennings discussed major questions surrounding... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3300047/made-china-2025-4-questions-countrys-manufacturing-upgrade-10-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3300047/made-china-2025-4-questions-countrys-manufacturing-upgrade-10-years?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Feb 2025 09:00:18 +0000 Zhou Xin Zhou Xin With his symposium that brought together China’s top private entrepreneurs, President Xi Jinping sent a message that the country has won an initial victory in weathering technological restrictions imposed by the US. According to the People’s Daily, Xi told the country’s tech titans, including Huawei Technologies founder Ren Zhengfei and robotics start-up Unitree founder Wang Xingxing, that the “the east wind is still prevailing”. The remark alluded to a quote from Chairman Mao Zedong: “The east... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3299908/china-gets-taste-victory-us-tech-war-thanks-talent-supply-chains-organisation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3299908/china-gets-taste-victory-us-tech-war-thanks-talent-supply-chains-organisation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Feb 2025 23:00:08 +0000 Zhou Xin,Leopold Chen Zhou Xin,Leopold Chen China’s leading technology entrepreneurs, including Huawei Technologies founder Ren Zhengfei and Xiaomi founder Lei Jun, voiced their confidence in the country’s development prospects at a symposium chaired by President Xi Jinping this week. Ren, the face of China’s resilience against US hostilities in technology, told Xi that concerns had eased over China's lack of home-grown chips and operating systems – the “heart and soul” of modern technology – according to a report from the People’s Daily... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3299599/what-did-chinas-tech-entrepreneurs-tell-xi-jinping-symposium?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3299599/what-did-chinas-tech-entrepreneurs-tell-xi-jinping-symposium?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Feb 2025 07:09:18 +0000 China is ahead of the West in terms of the scale of its humanoid robot industry, controlling more than half of the top listed companies despite lagging in technology for a key part, according to a report by US investment bank Morgan Stanley. Of the 100 publicly-traded companies worldwide Morgan Stanley identified that were “confirmed to be involved” in developing humanoids, 56 per cent were based in China, Morgan Stanley analysts led by Adam Jonas said in the research paper. China is also home... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3299162/china-holds-dominant-position-humanoid-robot-ecosystem-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3299162/china-holds-dominant-position-humanoid-robot-ecosystem-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Feb 2025 05:00:09 +0000 This is the final story in a three-part series examining the future of China’s humanoid robots; competition between the US and China; and Beijing’s efforts to gain an advantage in this emerging arena. In this piece, we look at how local and national government policies and innovation centres are fuelling dreams of global technological supremacy. When 102 humanoid robots from 10 different companies converged last month at a sprawling 4,000-square-metre facility on the outskirts of Shanghai,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3297482/how-chinas-government-supercharging-rise-humanoid-robots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3297482/how-chinas-government-supercharging-rise-humanoid-robots?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Feb 2025 22:00:13 +0000 This is the second story in a three-part series examining the future of China’s humanoid robots; competition between the US and China; and the Chinese government’s efforts to gain an advantage in this emerging arena. In this piece, we examine the state of the race for industry dominance between the world’s two largest players. At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas on January 7 – the tech sector’s premier trade exhibition – Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang took the stage for his keynote... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3297333/battle-bots-china-us-scrap-top-humanoid-heap?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3297333/battle-bots-china-us-scrap-top-humanoid-heap?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Feb 2025 22:00:15 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Chinese robotics company Unitree, backed by Alibaba Cloud technology, showed off the dancing skills of its general-purpose H1 humanoid robots at this year’s Spring Festival Gala, China’s most-watched television show, to the delight and awe of more than 1 billion viewers. The Lunar New Year eve broadcast saw 16 H1 robots, all decked in floral red-and-white cheongsam vests, join a troupe of human dancers in a tightly choreographed performance of Chinese folk dance Yangge, kicking off a hi-tech... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3296720/dancing-kings-unitree-humanoid-robots-backed-alibaba-tech-delight-spring-gala-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3296720/dancing-kings-unitree-humanoid-robots-backed-alibaba-tech-delight-spring-gala-show?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Jan 2025 11:00:35 +0000 China is ahead of the US in some areas of autonomous driving and robotics, according to executives from Pony.ai and UBTech, who spoke at the South China Morning Post’s annual China Conference on Wednesday. “Although the start-up wave in self-driving started earlier in the US, China has caught up in terms of policymaking. China has been making agile policies that allow fast proof of concept, [as well as] failure and retry, which facilitates really quick iterations,” said Ann Shi Yu,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3295037/china-ahead-us-some-areas-autonomous-driving-robotics-executives-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3295037/china-ahead-us-some-areas-autonomous-driving-robotics-executives-say?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Jan 2025 09:30:09 +0000 The Pentagon has added five Chinese companies including Shenzhen-based tech giant Tencent and the world’s biggest battery maker CATL to a list of mainland firms that Washington believes pose threats to US national security. The new additions include chipmaker ChangXin Memory Technologies Inc, Quectel Wireless and drone-maker Autel Robotics, according to a document on the Federal Register that is to be published on Tuesday. The move expanded the Pentagon’s list of Chinese military companies to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3293654/us-adds-tencent-catl-list-chinese-firms-allegedly-helping-beijings-military?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3293654/us-adds-tencent-catl-list-chinese-firms-allegedly-helping-beijings-military?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Jan 2025 18:35:52 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Uber Technologies plans to invest in Pony AI’s US initial public offering (IPO), which is expected to be priced next week after being upsized by the autonomous driving firm, people familiar with the matter said. San Francisco-based Uber is seeking to buy more than US$10 million of shares in Pony AI’s IPO, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing confidential information. The company may consider using Pony AI technology in a partnership outside the US, one of the people said. Uber... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3287626/uber-said-eye-us10-million-stake-ipo-chinas-pony-ai-amid-self-driving-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3287626/uber-said-eye-us10-million-stake-ipo-chinas-pony-ai-amid-self-driving-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Nov 2024 02:03:40 +0000 Che Pan,Wency Chen Che Pan,Wency Chen Mainland China’s chip design firms are anxiously waiting for any further updates from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), after the world’s most advanced contract chip manufacturer paused 7-nanometre node services for some artificial intelligence (AI) chip clients in the world’s largest semiconductor market by consumption. TSMC last week told graphics-processing-unit (GPU) and AI-accelerator clients on the mainland that their access to advanced processing services would be halted... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3286204/chinas-tech-firms-fear-bigger-curbs-tsmc-stops-ai-chip-supply-us-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3286204/chinas-tech-firms-fear-bigger-curbs-tsmc-stops-ai-chip-supply-us-order?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Nov 2024 13:00:08 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Foreign businesses from the United States, South Korea and Germany pledged commitment to China’s market and supply chains during big import fair in Shanghai, despite the potential of a new trade war between the world’s top two economies after Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election. At a media event tied to the China International Import Expo on Thursday, several companies showed how they are investing in artificial intelligence (AI) and various digital technologies across their... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3285808/global-businesses-bet-chinas-market-despite-trump-win-us-trade-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3285808/global-businesses-bet-chinas-market-despite-trump-win-us-trade-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Nov 2024 12:00:16 +0000 Can China innovate and outcompete the US in their pitched battle for technological supremacy? A 20-month investigation into the innovation performance of 44 Chinese firms across key technologies – including nuclear power, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, electric vehicles and materials science – revealed a troubling yes for the US. On Wednesday, analysts from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a Washington think tank, presented their findings at a Capitol Hill event,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3279054/us-study-finds-chinas-tech-innovation-much-stronger-previously-understood?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3279054/us-study-finds-chinas-tech-innovation-much-stronger-previously-understood?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Sep 2024 19:43:20 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang China’s artificial intelligence (AI) industry could pour more than 10 trillion yuan (US$1.4 trillion) into developing the technology in the next six years, according to Chen Liang, chairman of the state-backed investment vehicle China International Capital Corporation (CICC). Chen made the comments on Sunday during a talk at the International China Investment Forum, organised by the municipal government of Xiamen, in northeastern Fujian province, and co-sponsored by CICC. China’s AI market still... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3277743/chinas-ai-industry-could-see-us14-trillion-investment-6-years-executive-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3277743/chinas-ai-industry-could-see-us14-trillion-investment-6-years-executive-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Sep 2024 09:00:09 +0000 Last week, the 2024 World Robot Conference took place in Beijing, featuring over 600 robotic products from around the world, attracting over 1.3 million attendees. There were 27 humanoid robots on display, capable of applications in manufacturing, healthcare, household management and entertainment. As embodied artificial intelligence (AI) becomes the next technological frontier after large language models, researchers suggest that competition in robotics might become the new global space race in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3276979/chinas-robotics-future-fast-approaching?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3276979/chinas-robotics-future-fast-approaching?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Sep 2024 01:30:09 +0000 Shortly after the release of Alien: Romulus – the new film in a science fiction series that has often depicted artificial intelligence as ruthlessly calculating – a decidedly more optimistic mood filled the halls at the World Robot Conference in the southeast of Beijing. There, the models on display prompted more academic conversations in lieu of the films’ life-or-death scenarios. One of the more burning questions, looming larger as reality appears to be converging rapidly with fantasy: how... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3275936/china-upgrades-its-androids-more-human-human-horizon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3275936/china-upgrades-its-androids-more-human-human-horizon?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Aug 2024 08:10:54 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Chinese technology companies unveiled more than two dozen humanoid robots at an industry expo in Beijing this week, where Tesla’s Optimus was the only foreign competitor present, a sign of the mainland’s drive to dominate the field. The five-day 2024 World Robot Conference, which concludes on Sunday, is the latest event in China to showcase the nation’s progress and ambitions in robotics. The show has attracted 400 industry experts and academics from the sector and more than 160 domestic and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3275609/chinas-own-tesla-optimus-beijings-ambitions-humanoid-robots-full-display-expo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3275609/chinas-own-tesla-optimus-beijings-ambitions-humanoid-robots-full-display-expo?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Aug 2024 10:00:27 +0000 Robotics start-up Agibot, founded by Huawei Technologies’ former “Genius Youth” recruit Peng Zhihui, on Sunday unveiled its family of humanoid robots, as the Shanghai-based firm looks to challenge Elon Musk-led Tesla’s own Optimus automatons. “We have made some breakthroughs … in product research and development in the past year, and we’re now at the forefront of the industry,” 31-year-old Peng declared at the online video launch of the company’s new-generation humanoid robots. Backed by venture... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3275069/former-huawei-genius-youth-recruit-launches-humanoid-robots-rival-teslas-optimus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3275069/former-huawei-genius-youth-recruit-launches-humanoid-robots-rival-teslas-optimus?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Aug 2024 13:00:15 +0000 As the US presidential race hots up, China needs to “prepare for the worst”, experts have warned, suggesting that should the Republicans win, they might put the right-wing Project 2025 into practice. They also warn that Beijing will need to keep a cool head to avoid escalating bilateral hostilities, with the Project 2025 plan coming across as “shockingly malicious” against China. Spearheaded by Washington-based conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation, Project 2025 proposes a radical... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3272038/china-threat-why-us-right-wing-project-2025-could-be-bad-news-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3272038/china-threat-why-us-right-wing-project-2025-could-be-bad-news-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Jul 2024 14:00:12 +0000 Wandering around an exhibition hall at a tech fair in Shanghai, a humanoid robot took small steps for robotkind. And while still unable to leap itself, its presence nonetheless illustrated strides in China’s robotics industry. It appears a little clumsy at first glance – unlike the anthropomorphically perfected androids seen in sci-fi – but the 25kg (55-pound) device features full-body controls and 30 degrees of movement freedom. It can also grasp objects and is capable of conversing in sign... https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3270805/china-wants-humanoid-robots-automate-aged-care-handle-grunt-work-demographics-shift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3270805/china-wants-humanoid-robots-automate-aged-care-handle-grunt-work-demographics-shift?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Jul 2024 15:00:09 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Shanghai has published China’s first governance guidelines for humanoid robots, calling for risk controls and international collaboration, as tech giants like Tesla showed off their own automatons at the country’s largest artificial intelligence (AI) conference. Makers of humanoid robots should guarantee that their products “do not threaten human security” and “effectively safeguard human dignity”, according to a new set of guidelines published in Shanghai during the World Artificial... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3269500/chinas-laws-robotics-shanghai-publishes-first-humanoid-robot-guidelines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3269500/chinas-laws-robotics-shanghai-publishes-first-humanoid-robot-guidelines?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Jul 2024 10:00:17 +0000 In a story that took place in the Jin dynasty (266-420), an old woman was robbed. A young man came to her rescue and chased down the robber, who turned around and accused him of being the thief instead. It was late and dark and the old woman could only look from one to the other, confused. Washington, these days, appears to be acting just like the thief, trying to turn things upside down by pointing a finger at others. For a start, Washington accuses China of seeking world domination. US... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3268501/why-us-painting-china-big-bad-tech-villain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3268501/why-us-painting-china-big-bad-tech-villain?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jul 2024 01:30:09 +0000 When the European Union passed its Artificial Intelligence Act in March, its aim was to provide the first comprehensive legal framework intended to “foster trustworthy AI in Europe and beyond, by ensuring that AI systems respect fundamental rights, safety and ethical principles and by addressing risks of very powerful and impactful AI models”. The act cuts to the heart of the challenges faced in managing the moral and ethical issues embedded in the development of AI. At the top of a four-tier... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3267696/china-made-ai-sexbots-next-national-security-risk-us-eu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3267696/china-made-ai-sexbots-next-national-security-risk-us-eu?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Jun 2024 12:30:09 +0000 The recent unveiling of Figure AI’s humanoid, powered by OpenAI’s technologies, has taken the world by storm. Demonstrating unparalleled capabilities in understanding and reacting to its environment, this humanoid represents a monumental leap in the realm of intelligent, interactive robotics. At the heart of this groundbreaking fusion lies embodied artificial intelligence. Embodied AI transcends traditional AI by integrating intelligence into physical entities like robots, enabling them to... https://www.scmp.com/comment/china-opinion/article/3255998/chinas-edge-ai-robotics-race-lies-greater-bay-area?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/china-opinion/article/3255998/chinas-edge-ai-robotics-race-lies-greater-bay-area?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Mar 2024 01:30:15 +0000 A new robotics centre in Beijing has revealed intentions to release a general-purpose humanoid robot prototype that is being hyped as an “important symbol” of technological innovation and high-end manufacturing at a time when Chinese leadership is pushing for both against the backdrop of a tech war with the United States. “It is the dream of every humanoid robot company to bring humanoid robots into thousands of households,” an unnamed source with the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Centre was... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3256239/china-sees-rise-humanoid-robots-disruptive-innovation-will-spur-economic-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3256239/china-sees-rise-humanoid-robots-disruptive-innovation-will-spur-economic-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Mar 2024 22:00:26 +0000