Wang Xingxing, founder of the humanoid robot company Unitree, which is preparing to list on the Shanghai Stock Exchange's STAR Market (a trading venue specializing in technology stocks), emphasized that "robots will ultimately move into broader markets, reach ordinary consumers, and enter real life."
Speaking at the Wangfujing Forum held at the Beijing Hotel in Beijing's Dongcheng District on the 10th, Wang said, "Robots are no longer simply technology products but are becoming an important medium connecting mass consumption, developer innovation, and future industrial applications."
Earlier this year, Unitree opened its first offline directly operated store on Wangfujing Street, Beijing's largest commercial district. Wang explained that this decision reflected the judgment that technology and performance alone are insufficient to commercialize new technology, and that consumers must be able to feel the connection between robots and their own lives.
"The most common question many customers ask when they first enter the store is 'What exactly can robots do?' which is a very practical and important question," he said. "We opened this store not simply to sell products, but to let more people directly experience and understand robots."
Wang stressed that Unitree's efforts toward popularization are yielding results. The most visible are in the home and education sectors. "Many family customers, especially parents visiting with children, show great interest in robots," Wang said. "Children develop strong curiosity watching robots understand knowledge, converse, and perform professional movements. Such curiosity can be the best starting point for science education."
He also mentioned the potential for use in commercial areas such as corporate promotion and performances. "In corporate events, brand launches, and cultural performances, robots are quickly becoming attractions that draw consumers' attention," Wang said. "Robots' dances and movements provide not only a technological feel but also emotional and intellectual value."
He also emphasized the potential for use on industrial sites. "In the industrial field, robots are already being used for patrols of factories, power facilities, and industrial complexes," he said. "Performing automated tasks in complex environments using sensors and inspection equipment can increase corporate efficiency and reduce risks."
In particular, he predicted robots would play an important role in environments difficult for humans to access, such as high-temperature, toxic, and confined spaces. "In the future, robots will enter homes as products while also being used as production tools across various sectors of society," Wang said. "They will replace humans in complex, dangerous, and high-intensity tasks that are difficult for people to perform in factories, logistics, agriculture, rescue, and services."
Finally, he expressed his ambition: "Humanoid intelligence is not a technology reserved for a few experts. We will make more consumers accept and understand robots, so that artificial intelligence becomes an important force driving innovation in production methods and improvements in industrial efficiency."
Meanwhile, the Wangfujing Forum is China's most authoritative forum in the consumer and retail industry, hosted by the Beijing government. Launched in 2020, it marks its seventh year this year and serves as a venue for discussing China's consumption trends, distribution and commercial innovation, and future consumption ecosystems. This year, under the theme "Artificial intelligence activates new momentum for consumption upgrading," it addressed the convergence of AI and consumption as a major agenda.
