Unitree CEO States Humanoid Robots Still Lack AI Technology

According to the founder of a leading robot developer in China, bringing humanoid robots into the mainstream remains a significant challenge for the industry due to artificial intelligence technology.

Wang Xingxing, CEO of Hangzhou Unitree Technology Co Ltd, stated that one to three years could be enough to achieve this level of expertise. He compared the current environment to the ChatGPT boom in 2022 when OpenAI’s chatbot quickly gained popularity and turned AI into a common phrase

“It feels like we are at a point of one to three years before chatGPT emerged,” Hangzhou Unitree Technology Co Ltd. CEO Wang Xingxing told the World Robots Conference in Beijing on Saturday. “The industry knows which direction we should go and it’s just that no one has materialized that.”

His forecast arrives during a competition among Chinese robotics firms to lower their product prices, even though practical uses are still unclear, which Wang himself mentioned during the conference.

Chinese companies have implemented human-like robots in factories to carry out tasks such as material sorting and quality inspection. Wang stated that a significant obstacle for widespread implementation currently is the absence of effective AI models for humanoid robots.

Unitree is leveraging increasing enthusiasm from investors and consumers about China’s capabilities in a developing sector that currently lacks a definitive leader.

Unitree launched its R1 robot priced at 39,900 yuan ($5,900), but mass production has not commenced yet, according to Wang. Engine AI, based in Shenzhen, announced that a robot priced at 38,500 yuan is on the way. In 2025, Chinese robots participated in a half-marathon, engaged in a kick-boxing event, and played soccer. However, those occurrences weren’t precisely achievements in technology — a majority of the half-marathon runners tripped, struggled, or were unable to finish the race. Nonetheless, they emphasized the nation’s goals to keep pace with and exceed the US in advanced fields.

Unitree’s reputation skyrocketed after its humanoid robots appeared at this year’s Spring Festival gala broadcast on national television. Earlier this week, a video showcased a mechanical dog climbing inclines, balancing on one leg, and maneuvering through rugged ground — resulting in a surge of Chinese robotics stocks to record levels