Robots on Display: Highlights from the WAIC Conference

The eighth annual World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) took place in Shanghai from July 26 to 28, showcasing a variety of robots from different companies.

The most popular exhibits were the droids from startups Unitree, UBTech Robotics, and Agibot.

Unitree unveiled a $5900 robot capable of performing cartwheels, running, walking on its hands, and boxing. Weighing 25 kg, it is equipped with a large language model for communication and image processing.

Unitree Introducing | Unitree R1 Intelligent Companion Price from $5900
Join us to develop/customize, ultra-lightweight at approximately 25kg, integrated with a Large Multimodal Model for voice and images, let’s accelerate the advent of the agent era!🥰 pic.twitter.com/Q5pmkfFZZa

— Unitree (@UnitreeRobotics) July 25, 2025

Keenon introduced a new humanoid robot model, the XMAN-F1, capable of performing various tasks. It shares similarities in features and appearance with the Unitree R1 but does not specialize in acrobatic tricks.

The manufacturer positions the XMAN-F1 as a multifunctional device for use in the hospitality industry, commercial enterprises, and medical institutions.

WAIC 2025 Recap 🚀
🤖 Biped robot XMAN-F1 performed role-specific workflows and showed its excellent adaptability in a constantly changing environment.
🤝 Multi-robot collaboration in real-world scenarios

Not just a demo — a preview of what’s next.#KEENON #WAIC2025 pic.twitter.com/G3iXXS3v9p

— KEENON Robotics (@keenon_official) July 29, 2025

In total, more than 80 robotic products were demonstrated, including over 60 smart and humanoid robots.

During WAIC, the Chinese Robotics Innovation Center signed new cooperation agreements with leading laboratories to develop a robot learning ecosystem.

Special attention was given to the issue of global artificial intelligence governance and the development of international cooperation for the safe implementation of robots, as stated by Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

WAIC once again highlighted China’s leadership in robotics. Humanoid robots developed in the country have already played football, participated in a half-marathon, and competed in a Muay Thai-style combat tournament in 2025.

Meanwhile, American competitor Tesla is falling behind in its goal to produce 5,000 Optimus robots by the end of 2025, reports The Information. Currently, only a few hundred bots are available. The company will either need to accelerate production or postpone its timeline.

In July, ByteDance introduced a system that acts as a “brain” for robots, enabling them to perform household tasks such as hanging clothes or clearing tables.