China Shifts Humanoid Robots to Large-Scale Commercial Deployment

China's embodied artificial intelligence industry is moving from small-batch trials to large-scale commercial deployment. At the 2026 World Robot Conference in Beijing, officials and executives showcased over 3,000 products from 300 companies, featuring humanoid robots integrated into logistics centers, tourist areas, and residential communities.

Data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology shows China has developed over 400 humanoid robot products, more than half of the global total. In the first half of 2026, the country shipped more than 40,000 units, representing 97 percent of global humanoid robot shipments.

To sustain this growth, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council launched a 2026 special initiative. This program focuses on developing foundation models and motion-control algorithms to resolve existing challenges in safety, ethics, and environmental adaptability. Industry leaders noted that robots are now operating regularly in industrial scenarios across more than 10 cities and have begun entering residential households.