Beijing issued a guideline that requires local governments to test and integrate AI into various economic sectors
China has launched a national initiative to accelerate the deployment of humanoid robotic technology and embedded artificial intelligence, with the goal of putting more than 10,000 units of humanoid robots into commercial use by the end of 2026.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the State Assets Supervision and Administration Commission issued, on Tuesday (June 9, 2026), a joint directive that obliges local governments and state-owned companies to test and integrate artificial intelligence incorporated into the manufacturing, logistics, retail and healthcare sectors.
The ambitious plan reinforces Beijing’s strategy to lead the global humanoid robotics sector, accelerating the industry’s transition from research to mass adoption with the support of substantial state venture capital.
The action plan aims to create more than 100 application scenarios with high added value. To reduce barriers to adoption, regulators are encouraging a “Humanoid Robot as a Service” business model, which allows companies to pay for robotic work based on performance or through operating leasing contracts.
The initiative comes on the heels of a wave of commercialization that began in late 2025, when several robot manufacturers entered into partnerships with industrial companies.
In December 2025, the Xiaomo robot, from , began final testing of its battery at a facility operated by Contemporary Amperex Technology, listed on the Shenzhen stock exchange.
In April 2026, live-streamed robots performing tasks on an assembly line at a tablet factory operated by Shanghai-listed company.
Later that month, Robotera announced that its machines would reach homes by the end of May, while Robotera entered into partnerships with China Post and SF Express to deploy robots in more than 10 logistics centers, some reaching 85% the efficiency of human labor.
This operational boost coincides with a large boom of investments. In Q1 2026 alone, embedded AI companies in Greater China raised US$2.9 billion across 16 major technology deals private equity. Several startups, including Galbot and Galaxea AI, have achieved valuations exceeding 20 billion yuan ($2.9 billion).
Meanwhile, leading developer, won regulatory approval on June 1 for an IPO (initial public offering) that seeks to raise 4.2 billion yuan ($620 million).
To support the AI models that power these machines, the government is encouraging the creation of open source datasets and large-scale data collection factories. Facilities spanning tens of thousands of square meters were recently opened in Shanghai, Tianjin and Fujian province, involving partnerships with companies such as PaXini Tech and Joyful Embodied.
The directive also requires the implementation of a unified identification system for robots in order to manage the hardware lifecycle and ensure safe collaboration between humans and machines.
This report was originally in English by Caixin Global on June 10, 2026. It was translated and republished by Poder360 under mutual content sharing agreement.
