US-China Humanoid Robot Race Enters New Phase of Commercialization and Physical AI

Research published by Counterpoint Research on June 19 found that competition in humanoid robots has shifted from demonstrations of mobility and AI to commercial deployment, supply-chain integration and ecosystem development. China is focused on mass production, cost reductions and accumulating data from real-world settings, while the United States is strengthening autonomous planning and reasoning. The contest will also shape strategies for chips, sensors and physical AI platforms.

The latest report on July 7 said Unitree Robotics applied on March 20 for an IPO on Shanghai’s STAR Market, seeking to raise 4.2 billion yuan. On June 1, it also unveiled a plan to produce 75,000 humanoid robots annually. Figure AI, meanwhile, completed an 81-hour fully autonomous livestream demonstration in mid-May. Counterpoint said Unitree is pursuing scale, while Figure AI is validating sustained autonomous operation, underscoring a clear divergence in their commercialization strategies.