China’s Humanoid Robot Industry Nears ‘ChatGPT Moment’ for Robot Brains
The rapid rise of humanoid robots in China has brought the industry closer to what one leading executive describes as a potential “ChatGPT moment” for robot intelligence. However, despite strong investor enthusiasm and government backing, major advances in robot software may still take several years.
Wang Xingxing, founder and CEO of Chinese humanoid robot maker Unitree, said on Thursday that the industry is moving towards a breakthrough in embodied intelligence. He made the comments at a major robot conference in Beijing, shortly after Unitree’s blockbuster Shanghai stock market debut.
Shares in Unitree fell 11% on Thursday after soaring nearly sixfold during their market debut a day earlier. The sharp moves highlighted intense investor interest in a fledgling sector that has received strong backing from Beijing.
“We are marching towards a ‘ChatGPT moment’ in embodied intelligence,” Wang said.
Robot Intelligence Still Awaits a Breakthrough
The global AI boom that reshaped the world economy began in late 2022 with the breakthrough of ChatGPT’s large language model. That development became a watershed moment and drove widespread adoption of generative AI.
However, the robotics industry has yet to experience a comparable turning point. World models are physical AI simulation systems designed to help robots understand and navigate real-world environments.
Wang said the sector is approaching a stage where robots could operate in unfamiliar environments and complete most tasks through simple voice or text instructions.
“We hope that in the future, we can see a robot be introduced into an unfamiliar household and it can achieve approximately 80% of tasks successfully through voice or text commands,” he said.
He described that capability as an important tipping point that could trigger rapid growth across the robot industry.
Major Software Advances Could Take Years
Despite the optimism, Wang offered a cautious assessment of the technology’s current capabilities. In an optimistic scenario, he said, a major leap in robot software could arrive within two to three years. At the latest, however, he expects it could take five to 10 years.
“Relative to the mood around World Robot Conference and Unitree’s spectacular IPO, Wang Xingxing was notably sober about current capabilities,” said Georg Stieler, head of automation at robotics consultancy Stieler.
Unitree is the world’s largest producer of robot dogs and the second-biggest maker of humanoid robots by shipments, according to industry data.
The company gained prominence through choreographed demonstrations of robots dancing and performing kung-fu on Chinese television. Since then, it has increasingly deployed its machines in real-world industrial settings. However, Unitree’s IPO prospectus shows that universities and research institutions make up most of its customers.
Wang He, founder of Chinese robotics startup Galbot, expects the sector’s “ChatGPT moment” to arrive by 2028. He defines that point as the stage when robots can perform around 70% to 80% of everyday tasks without specialised training.
“With continued accumulation of data and further technological breakthroughs, we expect to reach the ‘ChatGPT moment’ for embodied intelligence by 2028,” he said.
Unitree Focuses on World Models
Unitree’s Wang said the company’s biggest current investment in capital and manpower is focused on world models. He also acknowledged that the company is “lagging behind” in applying physical AI models to real-world settings.
Moreover, Wang said humanoid robots are not yet capable enough for mass deployment. He identified limitations in the AI models that control robots’ decision-making and interactions as the industry’s biggest bottleneck.
Even so, he expects the sector to enter a decade of rapid autonomous development for humanoid robots. He linked that outlook to the accelerating AI boom and the ability of AI language models to improve themselves.
China Dominates Humanoid Robot Shipments
China delivered more than 40,000 humanoid robots in the first half of this year alone, according to a report issued on Thursday by a Chinese humanoid industry body. The report said China accounted for 97% of global humanoid robot shipments.
Beijing is betting that robots could eventually replace human labour in repetitive, low-value and dangerous environments. The strategy comes as the country faces a shrinking workforce linked to demographic decline.
Meanwhile, humanoid robots are gradually entering factory floors and logistics warehouses. However, they remain less efficient than human workers in most applications.
Humanoid robots have also emerged as a new front in the technology rivalry between the United States and China. Last month, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission banned future imports of foreign-made humanoid and quadruped robots, citing national security concerns. The move represented a major setback for Chinese producers.
Despite these challenges, several companies attending the World Robot Conference in Beijing told Reuters that they were seeking to expand overseas.
With inputs from Reuters
