Humanoid robot craze sparks surge in rentals

HANGZHOU — In a mesmerizing display at a recent show in Hangzhou, eastern China's leading tech hub, a dozen humanoid robots twisted and twirled in perfect sync, their joints clattering to the rhythm of joyful music as they captivated the audience and drew waves of cheers.

The spectacle reflects a growing trend, with businesses and individuals increasingly renting humanoid robots for performances, exhibitions, and livestreams to grab public attention.

These robots shot to fame earlier this year when a fleet from Unitree, a Chinese robotics startup, mesmerized audiences with a synchronized dance in colorful jackets at the Spring Festival Gala, one of China's most-watched broadcasts. The overwhelming public attention and ensuing robot craze have since turned them into a sought-after commodity in the rental market.

"Orders for Unitree's G1 humanoid robot rentals have been surging since early February, with bookings already lined up through late March," said Gao Lai, who has been engaged in the robot rental business for over a decade. His company provided the rented robots for the show in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province.

"The daily rental price for a humanoid robot ranges from 8,000 to 15,000 yuan ($1,115 to 2,091). With the booming demand, we anticipate our earnings to rise by 80 percent this year," Gao added.

In terms of presale, Unitree's G1 model starts at 99,000 yuan, while the H1 model has a starting price of 650,000 yuan.

Industry insiders said that the growing demand for robots in business events, exhibitions and shows is fueling the expansion of the robot rental market, which holds great potential.

On Xianyu, one of China's largest second-hand goods trading platforms, renting a Unitree robot can cost thousands of yuan, often covering transportation, machine adjustments and on-site support.

In Hangzhou's Yuhang district, where the recent show took place, local authorities plan to host more robot shows and tutorial sessions in rural areas by renting robots.

"Dancing with robots grabs attention, and we hope to partner with companies to introduce AI to rural communities," said Zhang Jingcan, a district official.

"The concept of humanoid robots is nothing new. Since the first one was developed in Japan in the 1960s, they've been a focal point of global competition," said Xiong Rong, a professor at Zhejiang University and head of Zhejiang Humanoid Robot Innovation Center.

"Powered by AI, our robots are making progress faster than I anticipated," said Wang Xingxing, CEO of Unitree Robotics. "We've upgraded the software algorithms in our humanoid robots to make them more agile and improve their dancing skills."

However, some uncertainties exist when applying humanoid robots in more complicated scenarios at home or in businesses that require more flexible and diverse human-robot interactions.

"Humanoid robots will reach new heights by the end of this year, and if all goes well, we could see them deployed in some service or industrial sectors next year or the year after," said Wang. "However, home-use models might see slower adoption due to higher security requirement."

Emphasizing the importance of security in robot applications, Xiong said: "Only by ensuring the safety of human-robot interactions, the robot itself, and the data can we achieve large-scale production."

Many industry insiders agree that the ultimate goal for humanoid robots is to evolve into general-purpose robots capable of adapting to diverse environments and performing a wide range of tasks without relying on specific sites or tools. Achieving this goal will require advancements in AI, high-end manufacturing and new materials, driven by academia and industry collaboration.

With surging demand and continuous innovation, China's humanoid robot market is forecast to see exponential growth in the following years, clinching a significant share of the global market.

According to a report on the humanoid robot industry released at the 2024 World AI Conference in Shanghai, China's humanoid robot market was estimated at 2.76 billion yuan last year. By 2029, it is expected to reach 75 billion yuan, accounting for 32.7 percent of the global market.

Xinhua