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.

Although enthusiasm for humanoid robots is spreading, skepticism about human-shaped designs is growing among some Silicon Valley investors. They argue that robots tailored to specific tasks are more efficient in industrial settings and that humanoids can be more about demonstrations than practicality. Funding is moving to wheeled general-purpose robots and industrial automation. Supporters counter that successful humanoids could target manufacturing, logistics, services and homes, and investment in the sector is rising sharply.