China races ahead of US in humanoid robot patents over 5 years

China has issued 5x more humanoid robot patents than the US over the past five years, according to Morgan Stanley’s latest report.

The report found that China recorded 7,705 patents in this period, while the US had 1,561, and Japan had 1,102.

Morgan Stanley said China’s cost advantage in the humanoid robot supply chain is significant, with the estimated bill of materials for Tesla’s Optimus Gen 2 rising from US$46,000 to US$131,000 without Chinese participation.

China also accounted for 54% of global industrial robot installations, more than the rest of the world combined.

Major Chinese companies such as BYD, Geely, Xpeng, NIO, Li Auto, Xiaomi, and Midea are testing or deploying humanoid robots in factories and logistics.

Morgan Stanley named Unitree Robotics’ G1 as the most widely used humanoid robot globally.

🔗 Source: South China Morning Post

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

Patent counts hide the deployment gap between Chinese hype and proven factory ROI

China files five times more patents tied to Research and Development (R&D), not to mature sales. Many pilots still rely on human supervision, and staged or remote demos expose an autonomy gap with real independence 1.
Large Chinese automakers and electronics firms are testing humanoids. In the next three years, use will center on semi-structured tasks such as tote picking (selecting items from bins) and palletizing (stacking boxes on pallets) in closed areas 1.
Buyers need counts beyond pilots and proof of positive return on investment (ROI) with clear payback. Uptime and throughput must justify the estimated $46,000-$131,000 bill of materials, the cost of the parts that go into the robot 1.

Western integrators can earn by bringing compliant Chinese humanoids into local plants

Western safety labs can earn by certifying and deploying Chinese humanoid platforms. Systems integrators (firms that install, customize robots) plus software vendors can do the same in United States (US) and European Union (EU) plants under International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 13482 for service robots 2 3. Work must also meet the updated American National Standards Institute (ANSI) R15.06-2025/ISO 10218 standards 2 3.
The 2025 industrial robot safety update grew from 122 to 318 pages. It adds cybersecurity plus three dozen safety functions, which creates demand for compliance expertise many Chinese manufacturers lack in Western markets 3.
Robotics safety and compliance providers can map certification paths that include dynamic safeguarded spaces (robot work zones that shrink or expand based on sensors plus area scanners) now covered under R15.06-2025. Their guidance can shape product roadmaps and win integration revenue in semi-structured Western settings 3.