Humanoid robot that rivals Atlas, the new US-China tech showdown

As China doubles down on AI and robotics, startups like Unitree play a crucial role in driving innovation in this critical field. Driving this tremendous push to popularize the application of intelligent robots is China’s vibrant venture capital ecosystem.
AGIBOT, based in Shanghai and led by engineer Peng Zhihui, has secured over $600 million in funding to develop intelligent humanoid robots for manufacturing and service roles. Among its investors are some of Chinese tech giants, such as Baidu. Meanwhile, another tech giant, Huawei, takes a different approach. They join force with Leju robot by offering their open-source Harmony operating system, which has been adopted by electric vehicles and a variety of smart devices. The collaboration between Huawei and Leju will explore commercial applications of humanoid robots and expand the Harmony ecosystem beyond IOT and EV. Kepler humanoid robot’s debut at the 2024 CES show attracted wide attention.