China wants its humanoid robots to stop performing for crowds and start getting to work.
The Chinese government has launched a nationwide program to accelerate the adoption of humanoid robots and embodied artificial intelligence in real-world industries, giving local governments and state-owned enterprises just months to prove the technology can deliver practical value.
The initiative, announced this week by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, marks a significant shift in China's robotics strategy. Rather than focusing on demonstrations and technological showcases, authorities are now pushing companies to deploy robots in workplaces ranging from factories and logistics centers to hospitals and emergency response operations.
Government sets deployment targets
Under the new program, local authorities must submit implementation plans by the end of June and report progress by the end of Nov.
According to the official document cited by South China Morning Post (SCMP), “By the end of 2026, key humanoid robot products will complete application verification and regular deployment in a number of representative scenarios, entering ‘work mode’.”
The government is targeting the creation of more than 100 high-value application scenarios and the deployment of over 10,000 humanoid robots by the end of next year.
The effort covers manufacturing, warehousing, logistics, retail, healthcare, workplace safety, equipment inspection, maintenance, emergency response, and disaster relief, SCMP reported. Officials said real-world deployments will help improve embodied AI systems by generating higher-quality operational data and refining both software and hardware performance.
Industry observers see the policy as a turning point for China's humanoid robotics sector.
“The core purpose of the policy is to push the industry from a demonstration-driven logic to a task-oriented logic, and from showcasing individual capabilities to building integrated systems that can perform real-world tasks,” said Shao Hao, senior director of the robotics lab at smartphone maker Vivo, per SCMP.
Shao added: “Six months is not a long time, but a concentrated effort like this can help the industry converge more quickly on viable technology paths and engineering solutions. In the longer term, this phase could determine whether embodied AI can achieve large-scale commercial deployment.”
Startups already expanding deployments
Some Chinese robotics companies have already begun moving from pilot projects to commercial operations.
Beijing-based Robotera has deployed humanoid robots in more than 10 logistics centers operated by China Post and SF Holding across several regions of China, according to China Daily.
During a demonstration this week, one of the company's robots packed products into shipping boxes and automatically corrected mistakes when an item was removed. Robotera's co-founder Xi Yue said the company is delivering orders in the thousands this year as demand grows.
China’s latest programme signals a fast-moving attempt to turn humanoid robots into working industrial tools rather than experimental machines.
Also read: China’s humanoid push follows growing investor interest in the sector, including Unitree Robotics clearing a key IPO hurdle as it races to scale embodied AI.