Humanoid robots in China are repeatedly breaking records to surpass human performance in large-scale competitions [1].
This trend signals a shift in the development of "physical AI," where the integration of hardware and intelligence is moving from laboratory experiments to commercial retail environments.
Wang He, the founder of Galbot and a researcher at Peking University, said the rapid progress is the result of close collaboration among industry, academia, and government [1]. He said that this partnership nurtures the composite talent required to advance the field [1].
According to Wang, the speed of technical innovation has increased specifically because the company coordinates with hospitals and AI research institutions [1]. This synergy allows the company to iterate designs based on real-world data, and specialized medical or technical needs.
Galbot has already scaled these advancements into the commercial sector. The company currently operates approximately 200 robot-staffed stores across China [1]. These locations serve as active deployments for humanoid technology outside of controlled testing environments.
The capability of these machines was highlighted during the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, which took place from Aug. 14 to Aug. 17, 2025 [2]. During the event, robots demonstrated skills that challenged traditional human benchmarks.
Wang said he believes it will eventually become standard for physical AI to be promoted through the combined efforts of industry, academia, and government [1]. He said that the field requires a specific type of multidisciplinary talent that cannot be produced by a single sector alone [1].
“Humanoid robots in China are repeatedly breaking records to surpass human performance.”
The scale of Galbot's retail deployment suggests that China is prioritizing the rapid commercialization of humanoid robotics over a slower, purely academic approach. By linking government resources with university research and private enterprise, the state is creating a feedback loop that accelerates the transition of AI from digital screens to physical labor.
