China targets 10,000 commercially deployed humanoid robots by end-2026

China has launched a national initiative to accelerate the deployment of humanoid robots and embodied AI, reports Caixin. Policymakers have set a goal of putting more than 10,000 humanoid robots into commercial use by the end of 2026.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission on Tuesday issued a joint directive mandating local governments and state-owned enterprises to test and integrate embodied AI into manufacturing, logistics, retail and healthcare.

The action plan targets the creation of over 100 high-value application scenarios. To lower adoption barriers, regulators are encouraging a “Humanoid Robot-as-a-Service” business model, which allows companies to pay for robotic labor based on performance or through operational leases.