2 days ago
Boxing, backflipping robots rule at China's biggest AI summit
From lumbering six-foot machines to nimble back-flipping dogs, robots lorded over China's most important annual AI conference in Shanghai this week. Thousands turned up to gawk at the antics of a bewildering array of droids at work: dispensing popcorn and drinks (messily), peeling eggs, sparring in a boxing ring, playing mahjong or just wandering around the cavernous exhibition hall.
The more popular robots were the creations of Unitree, UBTech Robotics Corp and Agibot, who've built up some name-recognition among the hundreds of startups and big tech firms vying to produce the world's most advanced humanoid androids. The scores of machines on display were the most visible symbol yet of China's surprisingly rapid ascent in a key arena of artificial intelligence. Hangzhou-based Unitree teased an entry-level US$6,000 (RM25,437) droid and ByteDance Ltd posted a video of its Mini hanging up a shirt just days before the World Artificial Intelligence Conference kicked off over the weekend.
"The technology is developing so fast,' Deep Robotics' Americas director Eric Wang told Bloomberg Television. But "so far, in the US market, we don't see very cost-effective and reliable competitors. And we don't see that happening in two to three years.'
Chinese upstarts are pushing the boundaries of what's possible within a technological sphere that inspires fear and awe in equal measure. From EngineAI to Leju, little-known names drive a field in which American companies like Boston Dynamics have so far failed to stake out a clear lead despite years of effort. In 2025 alone, humanoids ran a half-marathon, competed in a kick-boxing tournament and played football. Even if those events weren't exactly technology triumphs – most of the participants stumbled, fumbled or failed to complete the race – each underscored the country's ambitions.
A robot prepares coffee in a stand during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) at the Shanghai World Expo and Convention Center in Shanghai on July 28, 2025. — AFP
Widespread integration into daily life remains a distant prospect, perhaps as much as a decade away by some estimates. "It looks lively and bustling, but it's all for show on the stage,' Alex Zhou, a Qiming Venture partner, said of the conference when he asked two startup founders about use cases during a Monday panel.
Yet the advances unfolding in China and elsewhere are reshaping the industry landscape, with humanoid robots poised to play an expanding role across factory floors, hospitals and households. Citigroup Inc predicts a US$7 trillion (RM29.68 trillion) humanoid robot market by 2050, which China is racing to dominate.
Hundreds of robotics startups have taken root following President Xi Jinping's endorsement of the sector and a plethora of incentives. Domestically made semiconductors and open-source AI models are hastening the pace. But not every startup is expected to survive in a cash-hungry sector where, additionally, the humans building robots remain in short supply.
"We've talked to more founders this year – the sheer amount of competition we have – is more than what we have in the past two years combined,' said Tim Wang, co-founder of startup investor Monolith Management, which backs DeepSeek. "A lot of these companies are not going to exist five years down the road. But I think the entire concept of a healthy frenzy is very good for the industry to develop.'
Beyond the high-tech display, China's robotics industry is grappling with its own contradictions.
The country faces an urgency to integrate robots into work and daily lives. A demographic decline and shortage of factory workers is threatening its manufacturing dominance. Robots, specifically human-looking ones, may be one answer.
"Even with huge challenges, more breakthroughs are expected in the coming couple of years or even months ahead,' Wu Bi, a technical lead at Deep Touch, said in front of a statue of the Greek goddess Aphrodite that was speaking perfect Chinese. – Bloomberg
