Chinese automakers are stepping up investment in humanoid robots as a next-generation profit business, seeking new revenue as electric-vehicle profitability declines. Xpeng\'s robotics unit raised more than $900 million at a valuation above $6.3 billion, with investors including IDG Capital, Gaorong Ventures, Tencent and Alibaba. Analysts say China has an edge in manufacturing and supply chains, but AI will determine competitiveness against Tesla. Global automakers are also expanding robot efforts.

Xiaomi unveiled three self-developed XRING chips, led by the 3-nanometre Xring O3 mobile processor slated to debut in the Xiaomi 18 Fold in China next month. The company said the chip uses TSMC’s 3-nanometre process and claimed an in-house AnTuTu score above 5 million. Xiaomi also introduced a 6-nanometre AI accelerator, Xring O100, and an autonomous-driving chip, Xring D100, both targeting commercialisation in 2027.