The robotics industry is moving closer to a potential \u201cChatGPT moment\u201d in which robots could perform a wide range of real-world tasks using simple voice or text commands, according to the CEO of Chinese humanoid robot maker Unitree. <\/p>\n
Wang Xingxing, founder and CEO of the Hangzhou-based company, said Thursday that advances in embodied artificial intelligence could eventually allow robots to operate successfully in unfamiliar environments without specialized training, Reuters<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are marching towards a \u2018ChatGPT moment\u2019 in embodied intelligence,\u201d Wang said at the 2026 World Robot Conference in Beijing<\/a>.<\/p>\n The emergence of ChatGPT in late 2022 triggered widespread adoption of generative AI and transformed expectations for what AI systems could accomplish. The robotics industry has yet to experience a comparable breakthrough in physical AI, particularly in the development of \u201cworld models\u201d that enable machines to understand and navigate real-world environments.<\/p>\n Wang said Unitree hopes robots will eventually be capable of entering unfamiliar homes and completing about 80% of household tasks based on voice or text instructions.<\/p>\n He described such a development as a potential tipping point that could trigger rapid growth across the robotics industry.<\/p>\n However, Wang cautioned that the technology is not yet at that stage. In an optimistic scenario, he said, a major breakthrough in robot software could arrive within two to three years, while the timeline could extend to five to 10 years.<\/p>\n \u201cRelative to the mood around World Robot Conference and Unitree\u2019s spectacular IPO, Wang Xingxing was notably sober about current capabilities,\u201d said Georg Stieler, head of automation at robotics consultancy Stieler.<\/p>\n Unitree is the world\u2019s largest producer of robot dogs and the second-largest humanoid robot maker by shipments, according to industry data. The company gained international attention through demonstrations featuring robots dancing and performing kung-fu before increasingly moving toward industrial applications.<\/p>\n Unitree\u2019s IPO prospectus shows that universities and research institutions make up most of its customers.<\/p>\n Wang He, founder of Chinese robotics startup Galbot, expects the industry\u2019s \u201cChatGPT moment\u201d to arrive by 2028. He defines that milestone as the point when robots could perform roughly 70% to 80% of everyday tasks without specialized training.<\/p>\n \u201cWith continued accumulation of data and further technological breakthroughs, we expect to reach the \u2018ChatGPT moment\u2019 for embodied intelligence by 2028,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Unitree is investing heavily in world models, with Wang saying the company\u2019s largest current allocation of capital and personnel is focused on the technology.<\/p>\n He acknowledged that physical AI remains behind expectations in real-world applications and said the AI models controlling robots\u2019 decision-making and interactions remain one of the industry\u2019s biggest bottlenecks.<\/p>\n Despite those challenges, Wang expects humanoid robots to enter a decade of rapid autonomous development as advances in AI accelerate.<\/p>\n China is already seeking to establish a dominant position in the global humanoid robot market. A Chinese humanoid industry body said Thursday that more than 40,000 humanoid robots were delivered in China during the first half of the year, accounting for 97% of global shipments.<\/p>\n Beijing sees robotics as a potential way to address labor shortages and an aging population by automating repetitive, low-value and dangerous work.<\/p>\n Humanoid robots are gradually appearing on factory floors and in logistics warehouses, although they remain less efficient than human workers in most applications.<\/p>\n The technology has also emerged as a new front in the broader US-China technology rivalry. Last month, the US Federal Communications Commission banned future imports of foreign-made humanoid and quadruped robots, citing national security concerns.<\/p>\n Several robotics companies attending the Beijing conference told Reuters they were looking to expand into international markets, signaling that competition over the next generation of AI-powered machines is likely to intensify.<\/p>\n