Eduardo Baptista, Ju-min Park and Laurie ChenAug 20, 2026 – 3.33pmBeijing | The CEO of Chinese humanoid robot unicorn Unitree said on Thursday the industry was edging towards a “ChatGPT moment” for robot brains, after the company’s blockbuster Shanghai listing crystallised China’s ambitions to lead the next frontier of AI-powered machines.Shares in China’s best-known humanoid robot maker fell 11 per centon Thursday, a day after soaring nearly sixfold in their marketdebut, highlighting intense investor enthusiasm for a fledglingsector that enjoys strong backing from Beijing.ReutersSubscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles
Robots poised for ‘ChatGPT moment’, Unitree CEO says
Wang Xingxing said the industry was nearing a point where robots can be placed in unfamiliar environments and complete most tasks through simple instructions.
TL;DRAI
Unitree's Shanghai IPO surged sixfold before falling 11%, crystallizing Beijing's AI-robotics bid. The CEO's "ChatGPT moment" forecast signals foundation models for robot brains as the next frontier, reshaping how enterprises budget automation and design AI stacks.
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