In a high-tech factory located in Shanghai's Lin-gang Special Area, engineers are meticulously assembling humanoid robots, with rows of newly manufactured machines awaiting testing. This facility is the first in Shanghai dedicated to the mass production of humanoid robots. Despite being operational for less than a year, the company has already produced over 1,500 units and plans to open a second factory in Shanghai within the year, aiming for an annual capacity of 10,000 units.
Affordable Robotics
The company's co-founder stated that, with scaled production, their robots will be priced under 200,000 yuan (approximately $27,500), making them less expensive than a family car. Initially targeting a monthly output of 100 units, the plant's production has surged to more than 15 units daily due to soaring market demand.
Growing Market and Technological Advancements
As 2025 is widely anticipated to be the inaugural year for the mass production of humanoid robots, Chinese companies are striving to demonstrate their technological and manufacturing capabilities. A recent list of 100 global humanoid robotics-related companies includes 37 from China. Projections indicate that China's humanoid robot market will reach 870 billion yuan by 2030.
Embodied AI Integration
Humanoid robotics exemplifies embodied artificial intelligence (AI), where AI is integrated into physical hardware. An academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences highlighted that China has established a core technological foundation for the large-scale and cost-effective production of high-performance robotic systems
The company attributes its rapid growth to Shanghai's advanced manufacturing ecosystem and the Yangtze River Delta's mature supply chain, particularly components from the electric vehicle sector. The general manager of manufacturing noted that synergies with the new energy sector, especially in components like electric motors and gearboxes, have enabled the company to produce humanoid robots at scale in a short timeframe.
Developing Intelligent Systems
Building the robot's physical structure is just the first step; developing its "brain" is equally crucial. Recently, the company launched an AI large language model to accelerate robot training. This model allows robots to rapidly generalize new tasks with minimal training, significantly lowering technical barriers for embodied AI applications. It leverages real-world human demonstrations and internet-sourced video data to enhance contextual understanding of human activities.
Training and Applications
At the company's robot training center in its Shanghai factory, 100 humanoid robots learn tasks such as pouring tea, folding laundry, and arranging tables in simulated everyday environments. These machines generate high-quality action datasets daily by imitating human behavior, which is crucial for training the AI model. A partner and president of the company's embodied intelligence business unit explained that even a simple water-pouring action requires nearly 100 high-quality data samples for training. These datasets are uploaded to the cloud computing platform for model iteration, eventually enabling universal task deployment.
Focus on Industrial Tasks
Currently, repetitive industrial tasks are the initial focus for humanoid robot applications, with logistics highlighted as a prime example. While automated guided vehicles excel at transporting goods, tasks such as packaging variable-sized items demand real-time adjustments and error correction—a challenge well-suited for humanoid robots. AI control allows them to rethink strategies upon failure, much like humans.
Future Prospects
As technologies evolve, the company envisions broader applications for humanoid robots. Their flexibility fills the gap between rigid automation and human labor, offering promising solutions across various industries.
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