Chinese robot makers led by Unitree dazzle at Macau’s Beyond Expo amid AI boom

The significant presence of robotics companies underscores the intense domestic competition in the rapidly growing sector

Reading Time:2 minutes

Beijing’s Noetix Robotics showcases a robot head at Beyond Expo that can simulate human facial expressions. Photo: Xinmei Shen

Published: 7:00pm, 23 May 2025

Chinese robot firms, including leading companies such as Unitree Robotics and Engine AI, vied for attention at a technology conference in Macau this week, as enthusiasm around the industry continues to surge despite scepticism about their products’ capabilities.

This year’s Beyond Expo, which runs from Wednesday to Saturday, featured more than 20 companies producing robots and related components, for use in tasks such as rehabilitation and coffee making.

Shenzhen-based Engine AI showcased its 1.38-metre (4.5-foot) humanoid robot, PM01, which attracted a small crowd on Thursday as it moved around the exhibition floor. At US$13,700, the machine is used mostly in cultural and tourism settings, as well as by research institutions, according to a staff member at the company’s booth.

Beijing-based Noetix, which recently took second place in a half-marathon for humanoid robots in the nation’s capital, presented its robot head, Hobbs. The device can simulate a wide range of facial expressions and has potential applications in scientific research, and also as companions for the elderly.

Engine AI’s PM01 robot takes a walk at Beyond Expo in Macau on Thursday. Photo: Xinmei Shen

Despite Hobbs’ hefty price tag of 300,000 yuan (US$41,663), the company had already received dozens of orders, an employee said.