China: China accelerates deployment of humanoid robots in real scenarios.

Shotlist FILE: China - 2026 1. Various of humanoid robots operating in different real-life scenarios, undergoing testing inside training area Storyline China launched Tuesday a real-world deployment initiative to accelerate scalable adoption of humanoid robots and embodied intelligence across key industries. China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, together with the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, announced the official launch of a 2026 action plan to boost the widespread deployment of humanoid robots and embodied intelligence products in authentic production and daily life settings. The initiative aims to achieve large-scale, routine usage and testing of humanoid robots and other key embodied intelligence technologies by the end of 2026, particularly in real-world scenarios. The goal is to establish operational modes for these robots, develop more than 100 high-value application scenarios, and plan deployment of tens of thousands of units. Key application areas for robots include in manufacturing, inspection and analysis, maintenance, logistics, catering and retail, healthcare, workplace safety, emergency response, and disaster prevention. The plan calls for building high-level training and testing environments, developing highly generalized AI models for embodied intelligence, creating quality datasets from real situations, and delivering high-performance integrated robotic products. The action plan will focus on industrial, service, and specialized sectors, establishing immersive training spaces for robots, forming innovation consortiums to coordinate the rollout of robots, advancing practical skills, enhancing in-situ validation and routine deployment, and reinforcing support for key resources. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]