China’s Unitree Predicts Robotics’ ‘ChatGPT Moment’ Within Two Years
- tech360.tv
- 22 minutes ago
- 2 min read
The founder of China’s Unitree Robotics said the robotics industry could experience its own “ChatGPT moment” within two years, driven by advances in artificial intelligence.
Wang Xingxing, speaking at the World Robot Conference in Beijing on Saturday, said this breakthrough would allow robots to autonomously complete tasks in unfamiliar environments, such as cleaning a room or delivering a bottle of water to a specific person.
“If things develop fast, it could happen in the next year or two, or maybe two to three years,” Wang said.
He noted that while robot hardware and training data are already sufficient, the key missing component is advanced AI for embodied intelligence.
Wang expressed doubts about the effectiveness of current vision language action (VLA) models, calling their architecture “dumb.”
Unitree uses VLA models and reinforcement learning to improve performance in specific tasks, but Wang said this approach still requires significant optimisation.
He suggested that generating video or interactive models from text prompts, which robots could then follow to perform tasks, might offer a better solution.
Wang cited Google’s newly launched Genie 3 “world model” as an example of promising technology in this area.
Unitree is also experimenting with this modelling approach, though Wang said it demands a large number of graphics processing units (GPUs) to produce high-quality images, exceeding the requirements for robot training.
Despite the challenges, Wang remains optimistic, pointing to the rapid and unpredictable nature of AI innovation, as seen with OpenAI’s ChatGPT and China’s DeepSeek.
Founded in 2016, Unitree began developing humanoid robots in early 2023, inspired by the rise of AI and industry developments such as Tesla’s Optimus bot.
Wang estimated that strong market demand led to annual income growth of 50% to 100% for robot makers and component suppliers in the first half of 2025.
Unitree recently signed a deal worth 46 million yuan (USD 6.4 million) to supply robots with computational capabilities and nimble fingers to China Mobile over the next two years.
The company’s rapid growth has attracted investor interest. In July, Unitree submitted tutoring documents to China’s securities regulator, a step toward a potential stock market listing.
Wang said the listing process is progressing “in a standard manner” and that Unitree aims to complete its application documents by December.
Robotics could reach a major AI milestone within two years, says Unitree founder
Wang Xingxing highlights the need for advanced AI in robot motion control
Unitree signed a USD 6.4 million deal with China Mobile for robot supply
Source: SCMP