One giant leap for humanoid kind
Industry approaches major breakthrough as Chinese companies lead advances in robot embodied intelligence
Last month, global attention was focused on the futuristic feats achieved during the five-day World Humanoid Robot Games held in Beijing.
Humanoid robots made in China repeatedly broke human sporting records, including Usain Bolt's 9.58 seconds in the men's 100-meter sprint and Wayde van Niekerk's 43.03 seconds in the men's 400 meters.
As humanoid robots further demonstrate growing capabilities across a variety of fields, companies and professionals across the industry in China are racing to secure a leading position. At the same time, a big question is being asked: Has the "iPhone moment" for humanoid intelligence already arrived?
First used in 2023 by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who referred to ChatGPT as the iPhone moment of AI, the phrase has come to describe a disruptive point when a technology or product moves from a concept to widespread adoption, bringing major changes to an industry and user experience.
Wang Xingxing, founder and CEO of Unitree Robotics, one of China's best-known humanoid robot makers, remained cautious about when embodied intelligence could reach this major turning point.
"Embodied intelligence could reach an industry tipping point similar to a ChatGPT moment in as little as two to three years, or perhaps five to 10 years at the slowest," Wang reportedly told the 2026 World Robot Conference in Beijing on Aug 20. A day earlier, Unitree made its debut on the Shanghai Stock Exchange's sci-tech innovation board, or STAR Market, closing 460 percent higher.
