Alibaba Group Holding\'s mapping unit Amap has unveiled an upgraded version of ABot, an AI framework that integrates robot mobility, manipulation, reasoning and control into a single system. Amap described ABot as linking a robot\'s feet, hands, brain and nervous system. It said ABot combines five foundation models, including ABot-N1 for autonomous navigation and ABot-M0.5 for combined movement and manipulation. Amap claimed top-tier results on 17 benchmarks without providing details.

China is positioning robotics as a core pillar of its AI strategy in its next five-year plan, shifting emphasis from software to hardware. It plans to unveil next-generation robots at the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference. Analysts expect large subsidies and rising private investment, while China’s production share is seen as dominant. Industry groups and research institutes say gaps remain between demos and real-world use, and costs and dependencies persist.