Humanoid Robots Take Center Stage in Silicon Valley, But China Leads the Charge

Daily Technology

30/12/2025

The recent Humanoids Summit in Silicon Valley brought together over 2,000 experts, including top engineers from tech giants and startups, to explore the burgeoning field of humanoid robotics. While the event showcased advancements and sparked debate on accelerating the industry, it also highlighted China's significant lead in the development and deployment of these advanced machines.

Key Takeaways

The commercial boom in AI has reignited interest in building humanoid robots capable of human-like movement and tasks.
While entertainment and specialized robots are emerging, general-purpose robots for work and home are still a distant prospect.
China is currently outpacing North America and other regions in humanoid robot development, driven by government incentives and ambitious timelines.
Skepticism remains regarding the near-term viability of highly dexterous and versatile humanoid robots.

The Dawn of Embodied AI

Once considered a "bad bet" by investors due to complexity and cost, humanoid robots are experiencing a resurgence of interest. This renewed enthusiasm is fueled by the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, particularly generative AI. Venture capitalist Modar Alaoui, founder of the Humanoids Summit, believes that physical embodiments of AI, such as humanoids, "are going to become the norm." The primary question, he noted, is simply the timeline for this widespread adoption.

China's Dominance in the Humanoid Race

Despite being held in Silicon Valley, the summit revealed China's clear advantage in the humanoid robot sector. Consultancy McKinsey & Company reports that China leads with approximately 20 companies that have raised over $100 million for humanoid development, compared to about 15 in North America. This lead is attributed to strong government support, including incentives for component production and robot adoption, and a national mandate to establish a "humanoid ecosystem by 2025." Displays by Chinese firms, such as Unitree, dominated the expo floor, with their relatively affordable models being used by U.S. researchers to test software.

Challenges and Skepticism Remain

Even within an event designed to foster excitement, a degree of skepticism persisted. Cosima du Pasquier, co-founder of Haptica Robotics, emphasized the significant research hurdles still to overcome, particularly in areas like giving robots a sense of touch. Robotics pioneer Rodney Brooks, though not present, was frequently referenced for his critical assessment that current humanoid robots will struggle to achieve dexterity despite substantial investment.

While companies like Disney are showcasing advanced entertainment robots, such as a walking Olaf character, and Agility Robotics is testing its tote-carrying warehouse robot Digit with Mercado Libre, the path to general-purpose, productive humanoids is long. The efficiency and precision of established industrial robots in manufacturing settings still far surpass what current humanoids can achieve.

The Road Ahead

The parallels drawn to the early days of self-driving cars, where initial prototypes have evolved into widespread robotaxi services, offer a hopeful outlook. However, the U.S. robotics industry is being urged to develop a stronger national strategy to compete. Jeff Burnstein, president of the Association for Advancing Automation, acknowledged the U.S.'s strong technological base and AI expertise but conceded that "right now, China has certainly a lot more momentum on humanoids."

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