On Thursday, China’s leading economic planning agency warned that a humanoid robot bubble could form. The warning comes amid growing concerns that the bubble in a related industry – artificial intelligence – is about to burst.
Speaking at the press conference, National Development and Reform Commission spokesman Li Chao he said China’s humanoid robotics industry must balance “speed of growth with the risk of bubbles.” Investment is flowing into the sector even though there are few proven apply cases for bots, Li said, risking a flood of “very similar” models as research and development funds dwindle.
Li said there are more than 150 humanoid robotics companies in China. More than half are start-ups or participants from other industries.
The warning is a sporadic warning from Beijing against an industry it has deemed crucial to future economic growth. Earlier this year, China appointed embodied intelligence – the technology behind humanoid robotics – a national priority.