Major Robotics CEO Says Humanoid Robots Still Lack Real Artificial Intelligence
The artificial intelligence technology needed to make humanoid robots suitable for everyday use remains a major challenge for the industry, according to the founder of one of China’s leading robotics companies.
Wang Xingxing, CEO of Hangzhou Unitree Technology, said the level of sophistication required could be achieved within one to three years. He compared the current moment to the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, when OpenAI’s chatbot became an instant success and made AI a mainstream concept.
Speaking at the World Robot Conference in Beijing on Saturday, Wang said, “It feels like we are one to three years away from our own version of ChatGPT. The industry knows which direction to take, but no one has executed it yet.”
These predictions come amid a race among Chinese robotics firms to make humanoid robots more affordable and accessible, even though their real-world applications are still unclear. Wang himself admitted this uncertainty during the conference.
Some Chinese companies have deployed humanoid robots experimentally in factories to perform tasks such as material sorting and quality inspection. Wang noted that the main obstacle to wider adoption remains the absence of strong AI models designed specifically for humanoid robots.
Unitree aims to capitalize on growing investor and consumer enthusiasm for China’s robotics capabilities, a field that still lacks a clear global leader. The company has introduced its humanoid robot, the R1, priced at 39,900 yuan (about 5,900 US dollars), though mass production has not yet begun. Another Chinese company, Engine AI, based in Shenzhen, announced plans to release a humanoid robot starting at 38,500 yuan.
In 2025, humanoid robots in China have taken part in a half marathon, a boxing match, and even soccer games. Observers noted that these events were more publicity showcases than real technological milestones, but they still reflected China’s ambitions to catch up with and surpass the United States in advanced technologies.
Unitree gained significant attention earlier this year after its humanoid robots appeared in China’s national Spring Festival Gala. Earlier this week, the company released a video showing a robot dog climbing slopes, spinning on one leg, and walking over rocky terrain. The video helped push Chinese robotics stocks to record highs.
