Players from all over the world are eager to take the lead in humanoid robotics. No one country is completely dominant in this 21st century “space race”. However, China and the United States are undoubtedly in the first tier. “In the US, the focus is on staying at the forefront of technology and exploring unknown technical challenges,” said Xu Xuecheng. He is a lead scientist with the Zhejiang Humanoid Robot Innovation Centre. Meanwhile, Chinese companies are invested in building humanoid robots for real-world use. “The focus is more on how to integrate existing technologies for practical application,” Xu said. However, the release of DeepSeek’s R1 large language model (LLM) earlier this year could change the US’ strategy. The Chinese AI start-up stunned the world with its LLM. Not only does it match the quality of the one produced by US company OpenAI, but it was also developed for less money. Each humanoid robot has a highly advanced “brain” powered by AI, machine learning, and sensors. The brain helps it perceive its environment and act.

Full in-depth : U.S. vs China – The US may have to change its strategy thanks to Chinese firm DeepSeek’s AI, which looks promising for the future of the machines.