Robotics

Unitree Robotics, a Chinese humanoid robot company, is preparing for a $7 billion IPO to solidify its global position. The company is already profitable, with revenue exceeding $140 million, and has attracted investment from major tech players. Unitree’s IPO aligns with China’s strategy to lead in AI and robotics, supported by favorable government policies. While other players like Agibot and Tesla compete, Unitree currently has a commercialization advantage with competitive pricing. Global humanoid robot shipments are expected to rise significantly, indicating vast market potential.

Geekplus (2590.HK) announced strong unaudited interim results for H1 2025, with revenue up 31.0% year-over-year to RMB 1.025 billion. Gross profit increased 43.1%, resulting in a gross margin of 35.1%. Adjusted net loss narrowed significantly, and adjusted EBITDA turned positive. New orders rose 30.1% to RMB 1.760 billion. Revenue from outside Mainland China accounted for 79.5% of the total. Geekplus remains the world’s largest warehouse fulfillment robotics solution provider and will focus on embodied intelligence R&D, global expansion, ESG, and talent development.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk predicts the company’s Optimus robots will drive 80% of its future value, potentially reaching a $25 trillion valuation. Facing challenges with EV competition and public perception, Musk aims to shift focus to AI-powered robotaxis and humanoid robots. While Tesla is on track to produce 5,000 Optimus robots in 2025 and deploy them in factories, it trails competitors like Waymo, Unitree and Boston Dynamics in both robotaxi and humanoid robot markets. A recent leadership change in Tesla’s robotics division adds further complexity. Optimus is envisioned as a versatile robot for various tasks.

At the 2025 World Robot Conference, Unitree Robotics founder Wang Xingxing discussed the potential for taxing robots as they enter the workforce. He suggested taxing robots based on their generated value, even proposing their use in undeveloped land with output shared with the state, contingent on advanced capabilities. He also addressed price differences in Unitree’s robot models, stating that smaller, less sophisticated robots would be more affordable, aiming for wider adoption through tiered pricing strategy.

At the 2025 World Robot Conference, Unitree Robotics CEO Wang Xingxing emphasized the need for robust and unified “embodied intelligence robot foundation models,” citing them as the industry’s core bottleneck. He believes current robotic model architectures are lacking, and the industry needs a “ChatGPT moment.” Unitree is focused on developing general-purpose humanoid robots for diverse tasks and sees unified models, affordable hardware, high-volume manufacturing, and accessible computational power as key priorities for the next 2-5 years.

The 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) showcased a shift in focus from Large Language Models (LLMs) to embodied intelligence, particularly humanoid robots. The event, touted as the “largest WAIC ever,” featured over 800 exhibitors. While humanoid robots drew huge crowds and high ticket prices, some insiders noted a “playing it safe” approach, prioritizing fundraising over groundbreaking innovation. LLM companies, while still present, appeared more subdued, focusing on practical applications and revenue generation, with many aiming for “¥1 billion in revenue.” Concerns linger about a potential bubble, especially in embodied intelligence.

Corporate tax filings ending May show robust growth for key economic sectors. Digital economy, high-tech, and robotics industries saw a 7.1% rise in operating revenue and a 5.2% profit surge. Leading tech companies experienced an 11.9% revenue and 19.7% profit increase. The high-tech sector, particularly aerospace and scientific research, also reported significant gains. Robotics, specialized for challenging environments, led sector growth.

Google DeepMind has introduced Gemini Robotics On-Device, an offline AI model for robots. This VLA model processes visual data, language, and actions on-device, enabling real-time responses to human commands. Designed for two-armed robots, it interprets natural language instructions. This offers advantages in critical scenarios by removing reliance on cloud connectivity. The model is built on Gemini 2.0 and competes with rivals like Nvidia and OpenAI in the robotics market.

China launched a pilot program (2025-2027) for smart elderly care robots, jointly announced by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The program targets home, community, and institutional care, focusing on assistive robots, companionship, and health promotion. It emphasizes standardized frameworks, rigorous testing, and collaborative R&D to improve safety and usability, with outcomes showcased to promote robotic elder care solutions for the aging population.

Following Tesla’s stock plunge and CEO Elon Musk’s challenges, Optimus project leader Milan Kovac unexpectedly departed, citing personal reasons. Kovac, a key figure in Tesla’s Autopilot and Optimus development, played a pivotal role for a decade. His successor, Ashok Elluswamy, is now VP of AI Software. This departure adds to Tesla’s difficulties amidst declining revenue, profit and anticipated drop in EV deliveries, raising concerns about the future of Optimus and Musk’s ambitious goals.