China's robot makers shift focus from mastering movement to the race for AI brains

Summary

Chinese robot makers have mastered the physical moves of their machines, and the contest is now moving to the software that controls them. Embodied AI, which focuses on software that lets robots understand their surroundings and adapt, is opening a new front in the U.S.-China tech rivalry.

Timeline

1. The Japan Times

   2 Nov 2026, 00:29 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that embodied AI, software that helps robots understand surroundings and adapt, is opening a new front in U.S.-China tech rivalry.

2. Investing.com

   2 Nov 2026, 00:54 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that China's robot makers have mastered the moves and that the race for robot brains is now the next stage.