Humanoid robots in China are emerging as an important part of the strategy to bring artificial intelligence into daily life. Approximately 90% of the more than 13,000 two-armed, two-legged robots delivered worldwide last year were produced in China.
At a robot carnival held in Shanghai, families watched demonstrations featuring robot dogs, quadruped machines and remote-controlled robots. While companies in the country are developing robots that can prepare coffee, carry loads and perform various tasks, high costs, short battery life and safety concerns are limiting the widespread adoption of humanoid robots. Despite this, robot demonstrations continue in shopping malls and tourist areas across China.
Why it matters
China’s large share of global deliveries of two-armed, two-legged robots shows that humanoid robots are not merely a laboratory project in the country’s artificial intelligence strategy. Events in Shanghai are increasing the visibility of these machines outside industry while creating an area of use that directly concerns families, shopping malls and tourist areas. However, demonstrations of tasks such as preparing coffee or carrying loads do not mean that the technology will be used on a large scale in daily life; high costs, limited battery life and safety concerns remain the main obstacles to this transition. The open question, therefore, is when demonstrations and promotional activities will turn into sustainable, safe and more accessible use.