Unitree Robotics founder advocates for AI belief amid hardware demonstration failure

At the 2026 World Physical AI Conference in Hangzhou, Unitree Robotics founder Wang Xingxing emphasized the necessity of believing in artificial intelligence to drive the future of robotics. Wang noted that the rapid advancement of large language models is accelerating the timeline for embodied intelligence, predicting that robots capable of performing household tasks could be realized within one to three years.

While Wang highlighted the company's manufacturing strengths and the success of its G1 humanoid robot, a demonstration of the newly released H2-X 'Kung Fu Legend' went awry. During a side-flip attempt on October 22, the robot lost balance and fell, resulting in its right mechanical lower leg detaching from the joint. This incident contrasted sharply with official promotional videos released the previous day showing the robot performing high-impact tasks.

Despite the technical mishap, Unitree's market performance remained strong. Following the event, the company's stock price rose by 20%, reaching a daily limit. Financial institutions including Goldman Sachs and UBS reportedly showed interest in the sector, reflecting continued investor enthusiasm for physical AI and embodied intelligence.