Humanoid robots' 'ChatGPT moment' could be 10 years away, Unitree founder says

Unitree Robotics, a Chinese firm, anticipates that humanoid robots will achieve widespread popularity within a decade, according to the company's founder, Wang Xingxing. The company's shares experienced a significant boost during their debut on the Shanghai stock market on August 19. Wang believes that the market will flourish once robots can manage 80% of tasks assigned to them through voice commands in unfamiliar settings, which he predicts could occur within two to ten years.

While robots currently perform adeptly under controlled conditions, their performance degrades when faced with even minor alterations in objects or surroundings. This limitation results in robots trailing behind human workers and exhibiting limited adaptability in terms of the tasks they can undertake. Unitree's shares soared during their debut, positioning the firm as the initial listed humanoid robot producer in mainland China.

Embodied artificial intelligence is increasingly regarded as a critical area of competition in the global AI race, given China's intensified backing of strategic technologies, including semiconductors and humanoid robots. JPMorgan projects that global shipments of humanoid robots will surge to 60,000 units in 2026 and 1.75 million units by 2030, with China expected to account for more than half of the global demand.

Unitree is among the companies anticipated to capitalize on such growth. The company shipped over 5,500 humanoid robots in 2025, securing the top spot globally, as per its prospectus.