China’s Robots Are Now Ready to Join the Workforce

Beijing’s investment in humanoid robotics comes as China confronts a rapidly aging population and a shrinking workforce. The country installed more than 290,000 industrial robots in 2025, accounting for over half of global deployments, according to the International Federation of Robotics. State-backed forecasts estimate China’s humanoid robot market could reach 6 trillion yuan ($837 billion) by 2050, while investment bank Goldman Sachs projects the global humanoid robot market could grow to $154 billion by 2035. Chinese policymakers have identified robotics, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing as pillars of a broader strategy to raise productivity, reduce dependence on foreign technology and secure dominance in future supply chains.

China is building networks of robot training centers where instructors spend hours teaching humanoid machines how to sort goods, stock shelves and perform household tasks, part of Beijing’s broader push to secure leadership in a technology it views as critical to future economic growth.

At the Beijing-based Humanoid Robot Data Training Center, technicians use motion-capture systems, cameras and controllers to train robots through thousands of repetitions, generating data that allows the machines to gradually perform tasks independently. The center is among several facilities backed by local governments as China accelerates investment in humanoid robotics alongside artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing.

“We are essentially teaching robots to think on their own,” said Kenneth Ren, an overseas solution expert at RealMan Intelligent Technology.

The effort reflects China’s industrial strategy to dominate emerging technologies and strengthen its position in global supply chains. Policymakers have identified humanoid robots as a priority industry through 2030, echoing earlier state-backed campaigns that helped establish the country as a global force in electric vehicles, batteries and renewable energy technologies.

“China’s next-generation industrial policy represents a shift from targeted sectoral intervention to what can be described as an ‘industrial policy of everything,’” the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Rhodium Group said in a report published this month.

Inside the Beijing training center, instructors guide robots through factory-style tasks such as sorting objects on assembly lines. Former art teacher Fudi Luo spends much of her day demonstrating movements that robots later replicate autonomously.

“At first, the robot has no awareness, so I have to control it manually. But once my movement generates data, the robot learns and then can perform the task by itself,” Luo said.

The curriculum extends beyond manufacturing. Robots are being trained for housekeeping, shelf organization, massage therapy and metal repair, generating large datasets intended to improve their performance in real-world settings.

“The robot doesn’t know what being tired is, but I do!” Luo said.

On the same campus, startup Beijing Inspire-Robots Technology is focused on one of the most difficult challenges in robotics: dexterous hands. Using sensors and motion-tracking technology, engineers train robotic hands to manipulate delicate objects.

“Our current robotic hand can pick up an egg or even smaller objects and lift a string,” said Winston Zou, secretary to the company’s board.

China’s push has drawn attention from global competitors. During Tesla’s January earnings call, Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk said the company’s Optimus humanoid robots maintained an advantage in hand design, while acknowledging China’s manufacturing capabilities.

“By far, the biggest competition for humanoid robots will be from China. China is incredibly good at scaling manufacturing,” Musk said.

The training increasingly extends beyond laboratories. Across China, AI-powered robots are being tested as restaurant chefs, bartenders, waiters, retail shop operators and even traffic police, giving developers access to real-world performance data.

While most systems still require varying levels of human supervision, developers say autonomous operation is improving rapidly as training datasets expand.

“Our goal is to take on tasks that are dangerous to humans or repetitive work that people are unwilling or afraid to do,” Ren said. “We have no intention of replacing humans in any field.”

Industry forecasts underscore Beijing’s ambitions. China’s humanoid robot market could be worth as much as 6 trillion yuan ($837 billion) by 2050, according to projections cited by state media, while analysts expect advances in AI models, sensors and computing power to accelerate commercial deployment over the next decade.

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