China said it has taken the lead in embodied AI as production of humanoid robots scales rapidly, conference speakers told delegates at the World AI Conference. Jiang Lei, chief scientist at the Shanghai-based National and Local Co-Built Humanoid Robotics Innovation Center, said China leads on manufacturing, datasets and training environments for embodied intelligence.
Production scales up in embodied AI
Conference speakers reported a sharp rise in humanoid robot output: roughly 20,000 units were produced last year, production surpassed 40,000 units in the first half of this year, and output is expected to exceed 100,000 units for the full year. Jiang dismissed foreign concerns that Chinese open-source AI might be a “trap,” arguing that the country’s manufacturing capabilities are becoming a global asset.
Robots demonstrating hazardous-task capabilities
Organisers showcased humanoid robots performing physically demanding and precise tasks, including climbing tall walls and executing precision welding, to illustrate potential applications in hazardous environments. Peng Zhihui, co-founder and chief technology officer of humanoid robotics startup AgiBot, said only China and the United States currently combine advanced AI models, robot hardware development and large-scale manufacturing at the level needed to compete in embodied AI. More than 30 AgiBot robots were on display across conference venues, including models named AGIBOT A3 Ultra, X2 Edu, G2 Max and OmniHand 3 Ultra‑M.
International interest in cooperation
Delegates from abroad also expressed interest in collaboration. Bilal Bin Saqib, chairman of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, said Pakistan sees significant opportunities to cooperate with China on AI, noting the country’s strengths in both hardware and software and the mutual benefits that could follow.
China’s emphasis at the conference underlined a convergence of industrial-scale manufacturing, datasets and training environments as central to progress in embodied AI, with speakers framing the nation’s rising output as a competitive advantage for both domestic deployment and international partnerships.
