Four start-ups focused on the development and production of humanoid robots – Unitree Robotics, Galbot, Noetix and MagicLab – showcased their products earlier this week during a gala evening marking the Spring Festival, which takes place on New Year’s Eve ahead of the Chinese New Year. It is the most-watched television event in China, comparable to the Super Bowl in the United States.
The first three segments of the colourful programme prominently featured humanoid robots, including an extended martial arts performance. More than a dozen humanoids produced by Unitree Robotics carried out complex combat routines, wielding swords, sticks and nunchucks – and doing so in close proximity to the children taking part in the show.
Between the martial arts sequences there was also a technically ambitious display reminiscent of the unsteady movements and backward falls typical of the Chinese martial art ‘drunken boxing’ [which imitates the movements of a drunk person, ed. note]. The sequence demonstrated advances in the coordination of multiple robots, which were able to stand up again even after falling.
The programme’s opening sketch also featured Doubao, an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by ByteDance, while four humanoid robots from Noetix appeared alongside actors in a comedy sketch. Robots from MagicLab performed a synchronised dance with human performers during the song We Are Made in China.
Support from the president
The buzz around China’s humanoid robot sector comes as major players in the industry, including Chinese companies AgiBot and Unitree, prepare for initial public offerings this year. In addition, several Chinese start-ups focused on artificial intelligence are expected to launch new leading models during the nine-day Lunar New Year holiday.
During last year’s gala, 16 human-sized robots from Unitree Robotics wowed the audience by twirling handkerchiefs and dancing in synchrony with the performers.
The founder of Unitree met President Xi Jinping a few weeks ago at a major technology symposium – the first event of its kind since 2018. Xi also met five founders of robotics start-ups last year, in meetings comparable to earlier gatherings with leading entrepreneurs from the electric vehicle sector and executives from the semiconductor industry. The Chinese president is thus raising the profile of emerging technology sectors.
Last year’s Spring Festival gala reached up to 79 per cent of Chinese viewers. Beijing has used the event for decades to showcase its technological ambitions, including its space programme, drones and robotics, said Georg Stieler, executive director for Asia and head of robotics and automation at the technology consulting firm Stieler.
‘What sets the gala apart from other comparable events is the directness of the transition from industrial policy to spectacular prime-time broadcasting,’ he said. ‘Companies that appear on the gala stage will reap tangible rewards in the form of government orders, as well as investor attention and improved market access.’
‘It has only been a year, and the leap in performance is remarkable,’ Stieler said, adding that the impressive control of the robots’ movements demonstrates Unitree’s focus on developing robotic ‘brains’ – software based on artificial intelligence. That enables them to perform fine motor tasks that can be used in real factory environments.
Replacing an ageing workforce
Behind the presentation of robots running marathons or performing kung fu kicks and backflips lies a well-considered Chinese strategy that places robotics and artificial intelligence at the centre of national attention. The country is relying on increased productivity through automation to offset the pressures associated with an ageing workforce.
‘Humanoid robots combine many of China’s strengths into one story: artificial intelligence capabilities, hardware supply chains and manufacturing ambitions. They are also the most visible shaping factor for the public and officials,’ said Beijing-based technology analyst Pcho-e Zhao.
According to the research firm Omdia, China accounted for 90 per cent of the approximately 13,000 humanoid robots shipped worldwide last year – significantly more than its American competitors, including Tesla’s Optimus.
Morgan Stanley predicts that sales of humanoid robots in China will more than double this year to 28,000 units. Elon Musk has said he considers Chinese companies to be his biggest competitors, as Tesla focuses on embodied artificial intelligence and its flagship product, the Optimus humanoid. ‘People outside China underestimate it, but China is on a completely different level,’ Musk said last month.
(reuters, im)