China to host world’s first human-robot marathon as robotics drives national goals

China to host world’s first human-robot marathon as robotics drives national goals

Can humans and robots face off in a full race? It will happen in Beijing this spring. For the first time, dozens of humanoid robots are expected to join a half-marathon to be held in the capital’s Daxing district in April, according to local authorities. This comes as China ramps up efforts to develop artificial … Read more

Chinese robotics maker UBTech aims to revolutionise Apple supplier Foxconn’s manufacturing

Chinese robotics maker UBTech aims to revolutionise Apple supplier Foxconn’s manufacturing

Shenzhen-based UBTech Robotics, China’s largest maker of humanoid robots, will deploy its robots in Apple supplier Foxconn’s factories to help with “complicated and delicate production”, according to a senior executive. The company is training its robots to handle different tasks required for modern-day manufacturing, chief brand officer Michael Tam said on the sidelines of the … Read more

China’s top EV maker BYD kicks off robotics recruitment drive for young talent

China’s top EV maker BYD kicks off robotics recruitment drive for young talent

China’s top electric vehicle maker BYD is conducting a new mass recruitment drive for robotics talent to staff its embodied intelligence (EI) unit, in a sign that the company is doubling down on robot-related research. The Shenzhen-based company posted a global recruitment ad on the Chinese social media platform WeChat, describing job openings for 10 … Read more

Humanoid robot could recharge China’s manufacturing labour shortage

Humanoid robot could recharge China’s manufacturing labour shortage

A Chinese robot maker has received over 500 orders from carmakers for an industrial humanoid robot, according to local media reports, in a development that may soon help ease China’s manufacturing labour shortage. UBTech’s Walker S1, officially unveiled on Monday, has already begun training in factories, including those of the world’s largest electric vehicle maker … Read more

Former Huawei ‘Genius Youth’ recruit launches humanoid robots to rival Tesla’s Optimus

Former Huawei ‘Genius Youth’ recruit launches humanoid robots to rival Tesla’s Optimus

“We have made some breakthroughs … in product research and development in the past year, and we’re now at the forefront of the industry,” 31-year-old Peng declared at the online video launch of the company’s new-generation humanoid robots. Backed by venture capital firm HongShan, Agibot on Sunday introduced five models of wheeled and biped humanoid … Read more

Opinion | AI companies must pay attention to national security needs

Opinion | AI companies must pay attention to national security needs

While Russian, Chinese and Iranian drones are easy to destroy using existing Western systems, the costs are prohibitive. This unsustainable ratio is the result of decades of complacency and bureaucratic inefficiency. Worse, this situation is merely a prelude to a future of unmanned autonomous weapons. Most current drones are either controlled remotely by a human … Read more

China’s Laws of Robotics: Shanghai publishes first humanoid robot guidelines

China’s Laws of Robotics: Shanghai publishes first humanoid robot guidelines

Shanghai has published China’s first governance guidelines for humanoid robots, calling for risk controls and international collaboration, as tech giants like Tesla showed off their own automatons at the country’s largest artificial intelligence (AI) conference. Makers of humanoid robots should guarantee that their products “do not threaten human security” and “effectively safeguard human dignity”, according … Read more

Robotics Under Sharia Law: Saudi Arabia’s Female Humanoid Abstains from Discussing Sex, Politics

Robotics Under Sharia Law: Saudi Arabia’s Female Humanoid Abstains from Discussing Sex, Politics

Saudi Arabia has developed two humanoid robots, one male and one female, with artificial intelligence (AI) carefully programmed to reflect the country’s cultural norms. Following a well-publicised incident at its launch event, where the male robot, Muhammed, made inappropriate physical contact with reporter Rawya Kassem, the robot’s developer unveiled its female counterpart, Sara. Notably, Sara’s … Read more

Rise Of The Machines? OpenAI, Microsoft To Invest In Robots That Think Independently

Rise Of The Machines? OpenAI, Microsoft To Invest In Robots That Think Independently

Microsoft and OpenAI are reportedly in talks to invest in humanoid robotics startup Figure AI, which aims to develop robots for doing jobs that are deemed unsafe for humans. According to a report by Bloomberg, the tech heavyweights are exploring options to invest up to $500 million (£394.92 million) in Figure AI. Depending on how … Read more