AgiBot to step up foray into overseas markets

AgiBot, China's most-valued embodied intelligence startup, is ramping up efforts to explore overseas markets, a senior executive said.

The company is actively establishing a presence across key global regions, according to Yao Maoqing, a partner at AgiBot and president of its embodied intelligence business unit.

AgiBot is valued at 15 billion yuan ($2.1 billion) and operates Shanghai's first dedicated mass-production facility for humanoid robots.

"We are now deploying strategically in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia," Yao said: "Our strategy relies on localization through deep partnerships with local players, enabling us to achieve genuine globalization."

Yao said AgiBot began product deliveries to overseas customers earlier this year.

Drawing a parallel with historical industry trends, he said: "We've consistently observed across numerous sectors that products which successfully emerge from China's intensely competitive domestic environment often achieve rapid expansion internationally. This proven dynamic is a key strategic focus area for AgiBot."

Yao was, however, candid in addressing the distinctive challenges facing AgiBot in commercializing its robots overseas compared to the domestic market.

He said European and North American markets appear initially less captivated by novel interactive applications.

"Instead, the primary focus falls squarely on industrial and practical use cases. Potential customers rigorously examine whether the technology possesses genuine deployment readiness, demonstrable return on investment, and clear pathways to cost reduction and efficiency gains," Yao added.

Drawing upon his prior experience at companies like electric vehicle maker Nio, Yao expressed measured optimism regarding the timeline for robots to significantly impact factory operations.

"We hold a relatively optimistic outlook," he said. "AgiBot secured contracts for deploying our robots in flexible manufacturing scenarios during the first half. We anticipate more tangible case studies demonstrating practical value emerging within approximately the next year."

He said AgiBot systems have already achieved sequences of 10,000 consecutive operations with zero errors, nearing human-level reliability in controlled environments.

Yao also disclosed some features of its next-generation product.

"Our upcoming models will support hot-swapping batteries without requiring system shutdown and incorporate autonomous recharging capabilities — that function much like advanced home robot vacuums — to ensure continuous uptime."

A major validation of AgiBot's technology and strategy came in early July with the announcement of a substantial 78 million yuan order from telecommunications giant China Mobile.

"This contract involves the development and deployment of a custom bipedal humanoid robot specifically designed for China Mobile. Its primary function will be to perform customer-facing roles, including reception duties and interactive explanation tasks, within the operator's extensive network of service centers and retail stores," Yao said.

This significant win underscores the immediate practical application of AgiBot's humanoid robots in real-world service environments.

According to a guideline by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China aims to build an innovation system for humanoid robots by 2025, with breakthroughs in key technologies to ensure the safe and effective supply of core components.

By 2027, China will see a secure and reliable industrial and supply chain system of humanoid robots, and related products will be deeply integrated into the real economy, the guideline added.

China has made rapid progress in robotics and artificial intelligence, said Qiao Hong, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and director of the State key laboratory of multimodal artificial intelligence systems.

"Over the past three years, China has accounted for more than half of the global installations of industrial robots, and its lunar exploration robots have successfully returned with lunar soil samples," she said.

Qiao pointed to the development of humanoid robots as a particularly promising area, with China establishing a core foundation of technology for large-scale, cost-effective production of high-performance robotic systems.

masi@chinadaily.com.cn