China's humanoid robots are way smarter and cooler than you thought
Published on Jun 14, 2025 at 5:53 PM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Jun 11, 2025 at 6:57 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Chinese robotic firms, such as AgiBot, are making huge strides when it comes to building AI-powered humanoid robots.
The new generation of robots is a lot more advanced than the shuffling, clanking bots we all grew up watching in sci-fi movies.
These new bots are able to carry out intricate tasks and are capable of adjusting and adapting to the environment around them.
They could also be a lot cheaper than some competitor robot offerings from other countries.
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It’s no secret that robots are big business at the moment, with the market expected to be worth more than $73 billion by 2029, according to figures from Statista.
The industry has attracted the attention of numerous big names, like Tesla, which has the Optimus bot, and Amazon, which recently unveiled its tactile robots.
Over in China, the government is handing out large subsidies for companies working on humanoid robots.
The country even recently held the world’s first-ever human/humanoid robot half marathon to showcase exactly what these new robots are capable of.
Among the Chinese-based startups making waves in the industry is AgiBot, which created its first humanoid bot, RAISE A1, in 2023.
Since then, it has unveiled a range of robots, including its bipedal Yuanzheng A2 ‘interactive service robot’.
The A2 stands at around 5.5ft tall (1.69 meters), weighs 152lbs (69kg), and ‘delivers a highly natural and comfortable human-robot interaction experience’, according to its creators.
The A2 has a cool futuristic design, but it’s what’s inside that really makes it interesting.
AgiBot says the large language models that power A2’s artificial intelligence make it capable of having a real-time conversation with humans.
The company says the design of A2 enables a smooth interaction with ‘accurate sound source localization’, facial recognition, and even the ability to read lips in noisy environments with 96 percent accuracy.
It has L4-level autonomous mobility, which means it can adapt to a changing environment and deal with obstacles in real-time.
AgiBot says the A2 robot is ideally suitable to work across a range of roles, including front desk reception, customer service, exhibition hall presentations, and manufacturing.
When it comes to building robots, China has a solid advantage, as much of the hardware and components used to create humanoid robots are made in the country.
This means that robots can be built and sold a lot cheaper than in other parts of the world.
According to Reuters, some startups in China are offering bots for as little as $12,100.
So, watch this space as it seems as though humanoid robots are moving from science fiction to our everyday lives.
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
