A Humanoid Robot-shaped Bubble Is Forming, China Warns

A humanoid robot bubble could beryllium brewing, warned China’s starring economical readying agency connected Thursday. The alert comes amid increasing fears that a bubble successful a related manufacture — AI — is astir to burst. 

Speaking astatine a property briefing, National Development and Reform Commission spokesperson Li Chao said China’s humanoid robotics manufacture needs to equilibrium “the velocity of maturation against nan consequence of bubbles.” Investment has been pouring into nan assemblage contempt location being fewer proven usage cases for nan bots, Li said, risking a flood of “highly similar” models arsenic backing for investigation and improvement shrinks.

More than 150 humanoid robotics companies are operating successful China, Li said. More than half are startups aliases entrants from different industries. 

The informing marks a uncommon statement of be aware from Beijing for an manufacture it has declared captious for early economical growth. Earlier this year, China designated embodied intelligence — nan exertion down humanoid robotics — a nationalist priority.