[Source/Observation Network by Ruan Jiaqi]
On May 30th local time, Bloomberg published an article stating, "Chinese start-ups are racing to dominate the future AI robotics craze."
The article notes that for many years, American companies have led the development of humanoid robots. However, now emerging Chinese enterprises are constantly pushing the boundaries of innovation. With a higher density of factory robots per employee than in the US and Japan, China is preparing for humanoid robots to take on increasingly complex tasks.
The report states that Chinese robotics companies have launched various trials: from waste sorting, elderly care home medicine delivery, to police collaboration in street patrols, museum tours, and even military applications.
Not long ago, China hosted the world's first half marathon and fighting competition for humanoid robots. "Although these competitions are not yet perfect, the key lies in progress, which represents an important step forward for China's technology industry," said the report.
The US media mentioned that Chinese start-ups have caught the attention of Elon Musk, whose Tesla company is also targeting the humanoid robot market.
In a conference call in April, the billionaire said he believed his Optimus robot was leading the industry in performance, but China might ultimately dominate this field.
"I am a bit worried that the second to tenth positions on the list will all be Chinese companies," he said.
This is not just his concern; many scholars also believe that China's development model may give it an advantage in capital-intensive fields with strategic significance, just as they have achieved success in electric vehicles and solar panels.
Julian Mueller-Kaler, director of the Strategic Foresight Center at the Washington-based Stimson Center, said, "China's model" might actually be superior. However, he added, "Digital and technological progress is the highest level of geopolitical issues," reminding people not to forget the outdated "China threat theory."
Henrik I. Christensen, director of the Situated Robotics Institute at the University of California, San Diego, was more direct, "I have no doubt that China is winning the humanoid robot competition."
China’s industrial robot density per 10,000 employees has increased to 470 units. Graph by Bloomberg.
Bloomberg pointed out that taking the lead in the humanoid robot field is crucial. Citigroup's latest forecast shows that by 2050, the market size of humanoid robots and related services will soar to $7 trillion, with a potential global deployment of 648 million humanoid robots.
Besides economic returns, at the national level, robots also mean strategic influence. Whoever dominates the development of humanoid robots may control an untiring workforce or caregiver team, thereby redefining economic and political power.
As Musk said during his speech in Saudi Arabia in mid-May, with the increase in robotic labor, the global economy could grow tenfold, "releasing tremendous economic potential and leading humanity into a completely different world."
The report points out that China is boldly betting on the future of the humanoid robot market. Its strategy is to integrate humanoid robots into multiple fields such as manufacturing, healthcare, and hospitality. After ten years of careful planning, China's factory robot density has surpassed Germany and Japan, doubling in four years.
Data from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) shows that in 2023, China has 470 robots per 10,000 employees, far exceeding the US figure of 295.
A founder of a Chinese enterprise told Bloomberg that thanks to domestic manufacturing advantages and strong government support, about fifty to sixty Chinese enterprises are currently engaged in humanoid robot research and development.
According to a study released in April by authoritative robotics institution Leaderrobot and others, China is expected to produce over 10,000 humanoid robots this year, accounting for more than half of global production.
Earlier this year, China also announced plans to invest 1 trillion RMB in robotics and high-tech sectors over the next 20 years, far exceeding the investments of the US and Europe.
"China has many participants, including top talents. I hope China takes the lead in the robotics field," said the aforementioned founder.
The report also mentions that artificial intelligence models are helping humanoid robots become smarter and more flexible. Chinese start-ups are competing to optimize AI applications, enabling robots to recognize objects, plan movements, collaborate, and autonomously learn to adapt to new scenarios.
At the same time, this technological progress is driving Chinese robots into practical application scenarios. Robots from Chinese enterprises are widely used in Apple phone assembly and tasks such as transporting boxes, sorting parts, and inspecting instruments in factories of BYD, Geely, and FAW-Volkswagen; these robots are also used to detect refrigerant leaks in air conditioning systems, effectively avoiding health risks to human operators.
Susanne Bieller, secretary-general of the International Federation of Robotics based in Frankfurt, believes that as Chinese start-ups collaborate with manufacturers to reduce costs and improve the cost-effectiveness of robots, China is becoming a leader in the humanoid robot field.
"In the next 5 to 10 years, we expect humanoid robots to see wider application in industrial areas," she said.
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Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7510529318485885466/
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