Industry
China bets on robotics as next AI play, pouring policy and funds into humanoids
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.
