China robotics and artificial intelligence development

China is experiencing significant activity in the robotics and artificial intelligence sectors, spanning educational competitions, hardware innovation, and specialized software platforms.

Initial developments focused on large-scale competitions designed to foster talent and test operating systems. In Zhejiang, the National Youth Labor Skills and Intelligent Design Competition engaged nearly 130,000 participants. Simultaneously, the AIY Hackathon in Shenzhen utilized the OpenHarmony-based M-Robots OS to test AI agent capabilities and multi-device coordination.

Subsequent advancements have shifted toward commercial hardware and integrated management platforms. Companies like RoboSense are developing specialized components described as “eyes, skin, and muscles,” including spatial cameras and tactile sensors. In the industrial sector, the NexCore platform was launched to transition embodied AI from laboratories to manufacturing environments. Additionally, the AIROBO management platform 1.0 has begun piloting unified operations for multi-brand service robots, while consumer-facing AI has expanded into home fitness through visual-sensing devices.