China to showcase humanoid robots at Spring Festival Gala

China’s humanoid robots are set to feature prominently during the CCTV Spring Festival Gala, China’s most-watched TV event, on February 16.

The show often highlights the country’s technological advancements and industrial policies.

Four startups—Unitree Robotics, Galbot, Noetix, and MagicLab—will showcase their humanoid robots during the broadcast, which attracts a large national audience.

Last year, the event displayed full-sized humanoids performing synchronized dances.

China dominates global humanoid robot exports, accounting for 90% of shipments last year, with Morgan Stanley predicting a rise to 28,000 units this year.

Major companies like AgiBot and Unitree are preparing for initial public offerings in 2026, amid a surge in domestic AI and robotics development.

Chinese startups are also advancing AI models to improve robot perception and interaction, with applications in factories and logistics.

The sector’s visibility has increased, with robotics startup founders meeting with top officials, including President Xi Jinping.

🔗 Source: Reuters

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

The gala’s robot stars ride big price tags and state support

Planned initial public offerings suggest investors expect more growth.
Unitree Robotics aims for a worth of up to $7 billion, up from more than $1.3 billion in its June fundraising round 1.
AgiBot is seeking up to $6.4 billion ahead of a Hong Kong listing targeted for 2026, according to sources cited by Reuters 2.
Beijing has pushed robotics and automation as national priorities to ease labour shortages tied to an ageing population, according to Reuters 2.
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has urged humanoid robots to reach “production at scale” by 2025 1.

China’s robot strategy could reshape AI development

The gala’s showcase points to a hardware-first push to lead the next phase of AI.
Chinese companies are putting cheaper humanoid robots to work, including Unitree’s G1 humanoid with a $16,000 starting price, to gather real-world data for training more capable AI systems, according to a Morgan Stanley research note cited by CNBC 1.
The bet relies on fast rollout to build a data edge over US rivals like Tesla, whose Optimus Gen2 humanoid robot is expected to cost at least $20,000 1.
AgiBot also sells data-collection tools used for AI model training, Reuters reported 2.