This is the Chinese robot that promises to compete with Optimus, from Elon Musk’s Tesla

With barriers that limit access to advanced technologies, due to the colossal fight against the USA, China has been putting a lot of money on the table to be an important player in two segments that can dictate the future, and, by extension, increase the power that some nations will have: artificial intelligence e humanoid robotics.

These two aspects can go hand in hand, as AI is empowering robots so that they can be inserted into society in countless ways, even doing basic tasks like folding clothes.

One of the companies that has stood out in this regard is Teslaby Elon Musk, with the robot Optimus. Musk is betting big on the future of these machines, even stating that These robots could create a kind of nanny of the future.

However, Tesla is not alone in this. Some companies, such as the Chinese Zhiyuan Roboticsalso known as Agibotare in this fight for space.

Humanoid robots: the next big disruption

The Chinese government considers robots to be humanoid a technological milestone as disruptive as smartphones and electric cars. According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the goal is to establish advanced mass production of these robots by 2025, with projections for them to become engines of economic growth by 2027.

A2: the robot that impresses with its precision

Agibot, founded by Peng Zhihui, a former Huawei engineer, has been standing out with models designed for both domestic and industrial use. Among them, the A2 draws attention:

• Height and weight: 1.75 meters and 55 kilos.
• Capabilities: Equipped with sensors that allow you to see, hear and interpret external data in audio and text. Its precision is such that it can perform tasks such as inserting a thread into a needle.
• Multimodal focus: It is capable of performing complex actions that require advanced data processing in real time.

By December 2024, Agibot had already produced 962 humanoid robots, vastly exceeding its initial goal of 300 units for the year.

Competition with global giants

The race for general-purpose humanoid robots is just beginning, and China is challenging giants like Tesla and Boston Dynamics. While Tesla presented the Optimuswith an estimated price of US$20 thousand, other Chinese and American startups, such as Apptronikare also entering the dispute with their own solutions.

However, Agibot seeks to position its robots as alternatives for both domestic and commercial tasks, including logistics and industrial operations.

Price of innovation

Although the cost is still high, with robots like Expedition A1 of Agibot being sold for around US$26 thousand, the tendency is for prices to be reduced as technology advances and mass production is consolidated.

The future

China is betting big on the development of humanoid robotics as a strategic pillar for its economy and as a response to Western technological restrictions. With almost a thousand robots already ready, the revolution that once seemed like science fiction is getting closer to becoming reality.

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