Robots poised for ‘ChatGPT moment’, Unitree CEO says

BEIJING - Unitree CEO Wang Xingxing said on August 20 that the robotics industry is on the verge of a "ChatGPT moment" for robot brains, following the company's successful IPO in Shanghai that marked China's push to lead the next generation of AI-powered machines. The founder and CEO spoke at a major robotics conference in Beijing, where he painted a picture of the future where robots can be deployed in unfamiliar environments and complete most tasks through simple voice or text commands, achieving around 80% success.

Wang cautioned that this breakthrough could happen within two to three years in the best-case scenario, or within five to ten years at the latest.

Wang highlighted Unitree's focus on developing world models, the physical AI simulation systems designed to help robots understand and navigate real-world environments. The company, the world's largest producer of robot dogs and the second-largest maker of humanoid robots by shipments, is investing heavily in this area. However, Wang acknowledged that humanoids are not yet ready for mass deployment due to limitations in AI models powering their decision-making and interactions.

China is betting on robots to replace human labor in repetitive, low-value, and dangerous tasks as the country faces a shrinking workforce. The US has banned imports of foreign-made humanoid and quadruped robots, putting pressure on Chinese producers. Despite the enthusiasm, experts like Georg Stieler, head of automation at robotics consultancy Stieler, noted that Unitree's IPO had generated a sense of optimism, but Wang remained cautious about the timeline for the industry's next inflection point.