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On a damp Saturday in Shenzhen’s Central Park, a group of young girls sought refuge from the rain beneath a concrete structure, their laughter echoing while they enjoyed snacks and shared moments around smartphones playing Mandopop hits. Their revelry is suddenly interrupted by the buzzing of a drone – a signal that someone has ordered food.
Nearby, an “airdrop cabinet” – one of over 40 operated by Meituan, China’s largest food delivery service – awaits its airborne delivery. Park visitors can order various meals, from rice noodles to bubble tea, all ready to be dropped off.
Not long after the call for food is made, a drone carrying items from a nearby mall less than three kilometers away arrives. It hovers momentarily above the delivery station, then descends to deliver its package inside a secured box that requires the customer’s phone number for access. Although Meituan’s drones aim to exceed the speed of traditional human deliveries by about 10%, the contents—a serving of char siu pork and a waffle—arrive a bit chilly.
This drone delivery exemplifies China’s ambition in the expanding realms of robotics and artificial intelligence (AI). As global tensions escalate, particularly amid an ongoing trade confrontation and economic pressures, Beijing is investing heavily in sectors it views as vital for future growth, particularly to counter US advancements. China’s leadership believes that bolstering AI capabilities is essential for military enhancement, addressing workforce shortages, and fostering national pride, especially as domestic companies navigate US-imposed technological sanctions.
During a recent address, Premier Li Qiang emphasized the need to “unleash the creativity of the digital economy,” singling out “embodied AI” as a key area of focus. Guangdong province, home to Shenzhen, is at the forefront of this initiative, with local authorities pledging 60 million yuan (£6.4 million) towards innovation centers. Shenzhen’s favorable regulatory environment for drone technology has helped it earn the title of China’s drone capital. According to projections from the Civil Aviation Administration, the value of the drone sector is set to quintuple to 3.5 trillion yuan over the next decade.
Beyond drones, humanoid robots are increasingly capturing attention. A remarkable highlight of the annual Spring Festival gala was a dance featuring a group of humanoid robots from Unitree, which garnered nearly 17 billion views. In a novel event outside Beijing, the world’s first humanoid versus human half marathon took place, demonstrating the rapid evolution of robotic capabilities.
“The application of AI in robotics accelerated significantly last year,” remarked Rui Ma, a technology analyst based in San Francisco. This trend could result in faster growth for the industry by utilizing reinforcement learning approaches, allowing robots to train through experience instead of rigid pre-determined models. Such advancements have already made toy robotic dogs part of everyday life in China. In bustling Yiwu, for instance, a child is seen playing with a robotic pet while his mother negotiates prices with local vendors. In Shanghai, one woman walks her robot dog, which conveniently carries her groceries.
The development of China’s robotics sector is closely intertwined with advancements in AI. China has long sought to bridge the gap with the United States, with Xi Jinping advocating for economic growth fueled by “new quality productive forces,” a term encompassing cutting-edge technologies.
Concerns linger in Washington regarding the US’s diminishing technological advantage. Control over semiconductor supply chains, crucial for training advanced AI models, remains a significant leverage point for the US. Currently, the US restricts the export of the most advanced chips to China, a move described by former national security adviser Jake Sullivan as establishing a protective “high fence” around pivotal technologies.
In a surprising turn, the Chinese company DeepSeek reported a breakthrough in January with its large language model, R1, matching the effectiveness of leading US models at a significantly lower cost. This development sent shockwaves through Wall Street, resulting in a substantial drop in tech stock valuations as fears emerged regarding the sustainability of the US’s lead in technology.
“That was a remarkable turning point,” commented Ma.
Since then, optimism has surged within China’s AI sector, which the government touts as crucial for long-term sustainable growth, fueled further by growing public confidence.
Li Shuhao, founder of the AI marketing company Tec-Do, reflected on how the atmosphere changed post-DeepSeek during his time in the US, noting a newfound ease in connecting with other AI researchers.
“DeepSeek embodies a traditional Chinese entrepreneurial approach,” Li explained, highlighting its funding strategy that relied on the founder’s investment rather than seeking external venture capital. “It emphasizes survival first, then innovation.” The company’s commitment to open-source principles has fostered its adoption and spurred advancements in robotics.
Putting Tech First
The robotics supply chain can essentially be categorized into three components: the cognitive “brain,” the physical “body,” and real-world applications of this technology. While China has established confidence in the latter two areas, developing advanced capabilities for robot cognition remains a challenge, necessitating sophisticated AI technologies.
DeepSeek’s R1 model is seen as a potential game-changer, enabling domestic humanoid robotics firms to narrow the competitive gap with their international counterparts, as noted by Goldman Sachs analysts. The fact that DeepSeek’s model can function on less advanced chips better positions Chinese industries for future successes.
Despite the promising landscape, significant challenges persist. Effective AI models require extensive data to train. While language models can leverage vast online content, data for training robotic AI—such as physical interaction and navigating space—remains limited.
In the autonomous vehicle sector, which China is heavily investing in, vehicles must adeptly maneuver through six axes or degrees of freedom. Humanoid robots, designed to replicate human tasks, may require as much as 60 degrees of freedom to perform activities as complex as cooking. Unitree’s H1 model, showcased at the recent Spring Gala, features 27 degrees of freedom.
However, robots do not need complete humanoid features to be effective. Various robots already operate across China, addressing dangerous or monotonous factory tasks. For example, UBTech, a company based in Shenzhen, supplies humanoid robots to automobile manufacturing facilities. As China faces a demographic decline, the push towards automation becomes increasingly critical.
During the Boao Forum for Asia, a recent business summit, attendees enjoyed jianbing, a savory pancake made by a robotic arm, while organizers demonstrated autonomous surveillance buggies enhancing park security.
“Robots are not replacing most of the workforce,” noted Amber Zhang, a product manager at BigOne Lab in Beijing. “For example, with robot taxis, the number of actual drivers being replaced is still minimal; many challenges remain.”
In select cities, Baidu operates a fleet of autonomous taxis known as Apollo Go. However, recent attempts to summon a robotaxi in Shenzhen met with frustration, as the service is limited to specific districts, with long wait times not conducive to immediate transportation needs.
The narrative, however, is undeniably shifting. As various sectors of China’s economy face hurdles—including export pressures and dwindling consumer demand—the government is keen on investing in promising technologies. “With the real estate market no longer a consistent revenue source, local governments must attract innovative companies,” Zhang explained.
“The idea that technology can drive growth resonates with people,” Ma added, “and alternatives for investment are increasingly scarce.”
This marks a notable change from recent years when technology executives faced scrutiny as Xi Jinping enforced tighter controls over wealth and outside influence within the private sector. The infamous cancellation of an IPO by Ant Group in 2020 shook investor confidence, compounded by the downfall of Alibaba’s Jack Ma.
Recently, however, Ma was among the tech leaders invited to a meeting with Xi, signaling a warming relationship between the state and technology entrepreneurs. Such gestures foster a sense of hope and revitalization among those in the tech industry, with Li commenting, “These initiatives instill confidence that perhaps the difficult times are behind us.”
Additional insights contributed by Jason Tzu Kuan Lu.
Source
www.theguardian.com