Vision for humanoid robots outlined

More efforts are needed to expand application scenarios in smart manufacturing to significantly increase the utilization rate of humanoid robots, moving them from experimental phases to large deployment on production lines, said Lei Jun, a deputy to the National People's Congress.

Lei, who is also founder of smartphone and electric vehicle maker Xiaomi, outlined a strategic vision for the industry, framing it as a cornerstone of China's "new quality productive forces".

Describing humanoid robots as a potential "disruptive product" following computers, smartphones and new energy vehicles, Lei highlighted their transformative potential for the economy.

Morgan Stanley has forecast that China's annual shipments of humanoid robots could exceed 2.6 million units by 2035, with the market surpassing 140 billion yuan ($20.2 billion) and eventually reaching a trillion-yuan scale.

To nurture industries of the future such as embodied AI, mechanisms will be put in place to increase funding and share risks in these fields, according to the 2026 Government Work Report.

Lei pointed to successful pilot programs, such as those in automotive manufacturing, where robots are already demonstrating their value by undertaking repetitive, high-intensity tasks like sorting, assembly, and inspection, thereby reducing costs and boosting efficiency.

While acknowledging that China has built a first-mover advantage in humanoid robotics technology, particularly with advancements in general-purpose AI, Lei cautioned that the sector faces a critical bottleneck.

The large-scale engineering application of these machines is hindered by challenges including high hardware costs, insufficient process stability and a shortage of suitable operational positions on factory floors, he said.

Currently, Lei said humanoid robots remain in an "apprentice" stage and have not yet become "formal workers" in industrial settings, limiting their practical economic impact.

To bridge this gap, Lei proposed a multipronged strategy focused on accelerating the resolution of engineering challenges to achieve cost-effective mass production. He emphasized that creating large-scale operational environments is essential, encouraging manufacturing facilities to provide more diverse and numerous workstations for robots, thereby increasing their real-world usage rates and refining their capabilities.

Furthermore, he stressed the importance of strengthening safety standards and regulatory systems for human-robot collaboration, data interfaces and key components within smart manufacturing scenarios.

Lei also advocated for standardizing the integration of AI large models with humanoid robots and implementing a unique coding system to ensure safety and traceability throughout their lifecycle, paving the way for their reliable and widespread adoption.

In a broad set of five proposals, Lei also addressed the need for better integrating private philanthropic foundations into the national science and technology governance system to bolster support for basic research and talent cultivation, further complementing the push for innovation in strategic sectors like humanoid robotics.

masi@chinadaily.com.cn