Chinese humanoid robots fold clothes, make sandwiches…and wholly reshape manufacturing

China is rapidly accelerating its humanoid robot development with unprecedented government support and ambitious goals to address pressing economic challenges. President Xi Jinping‘s recent inspection of AgiBot’s robot facility in Shanghai highlights Beijing’s strategic prioritization of this technology as a solution to issues including trade tensions with the U.S., population decline, and economic slowdown. This push represents China’s bid to lead a new industrial revolution where humanoid robots could transform manufacturing and other sectors while potentially raising significant implications for global labor markets.

The big picture: China is allocating massive resources to position itself as a leader in humanoid robotics development, with government support creating a powerful ecosystem for innovation.

• State authorities have provided over $20 billion in subsidies to the humanoid robot sector in the past year alone.
• Beijing is establishing a one trillion yuan fund specifically targeted at supporting AI and robotics startups.
• State procurement of humanoid robots has surged dramatically, jumping from 4.7 million yuan in 2023 to 214 million yuan in 2024.

Behind the technology: Chinese companies are combining advances in artificial intelligence with increasingly sophisticated hardware to create economically viable humanoid robots.

• Firms like AgiBot operate facilities where robots repeatedly perform tasks like folding clothes, making sandwiches, and opening doors to generate training data.
• The robots operate for extended periods (17 hours daily at AgiBot’s Shanghai facility) to maximize data collection for AI training.
• Recent demonstrations show Chinese humanoid robots performing complex physical feats including somersaults, running half-marathons, and playing football.

Economic implications: Humanoid robots could fundamentally reshape China’s economic landscape while addressing several national priorities.

• The technology aims to help counter U.S. trade pressures by revolutionizing manufacturing capabilities domestically.
• Robotics could address labor shortages in sectors like elderly care, a growing concern given China’s demographic challenges.
• The average cost of humanoid robots is projected to fall from $35,000 to $17,000 by 2030, potentially accelerating adoption.

Why this matters: The rapid development of humanoid robots raises profound questions about the future of work globally and China’s competitive position in advanced manufacturing.

• Estimates suggest up to 70% of manufacturing sector jobs could potentially be affected by widespread robot adoption.
• China’s aggressive investment in this technology could reshape global manufacturing competitiveness beyond traditional cost advantages.
• As President Xi jokingly suggested robots might play football, the real game being played is for technological and economic supremacy in the coming decades.