Promising Future for Embodied AI; Henan Robot Development Prioritizes Practicality

Central News Agency (Zhengzhou, May 28) China's industrial and academic sectors are increasing their investment in the field of 'Embodied AI.' Beyond the gimmicks of dancing or backflipping robots, in Zhengzhou, Henan—a rising 'smart manufacturing' hub in central China—more robots are entering industrial settings. They have received orders from large enterprises like Foxconn to perform tasks such as inspections and security checks. The 'Zhongyu Embodied AI Laboratory,' established in October 2024, is a key initiative for Henan to build national strategic technological strength. Deputy Director Zhou Chuangchuang told the media that compared to dancing robots, the lab prioritizes practical industrial applications. He noted that robots are currently used for security checks and inspections in chemical parks. In the next 3 to 5 years, they expect robots to enter homes for chores or elderly care. While NVIDIA GPUs are used, the localization rate is already high.