China has showcased a new generation of embodied artificial intelligence (AI) systems designed to perform high-risk industrial tasks, marking a significant step forward in the country’s rapidly expanding robotics sector, according to according to Chinese official media.
The development highlights how AI is increasingly being integrated into physical robotics to replace human workers in hazardous environments such as chemical plants, ship hulls, and large-scale industrial facilities.
One of the newly developed systems, created by a technology company based in China’s Zhejiang province, features a wall-climbing robot capable of performing welding, inspection, rust removal and spray operations on vertical steel structures.
The robot, described by its developers as an advanced embodiment of AI-driven industrial automation, operates without traditional safety harnesses and is controlled remotely through a virtual interface that mirrors operator movements in real time.
According to its developer RobotPlusPlus, the system allows an operator in a remote control room to guide the machine using virtual reality tools, with near-instant response between human input and robotic execution.
Weighing around 90 kilograms, the machine uses a magnetically adhered wheeled base for stability while its dual robotic arms, equipped with multiple degrees of freedom, enable it to switch between different industrial functions by changing attachments.
The system’s “brain” is powered by a large-scale AI model trained specifically for industrial operations, reportedly using more than 100,000 hours of operational data collected from real-world environments.
Developers say the robot improves over time through continuous data feedback, enabling it to adapt to complex and hazardous working conditions.
China is also expanding embodied AI applications beyond land-based industries. Newly deployed subsea inspection robots are being used to monitor underwater cables at depths of up to 300 metres, working alongside unmanned surface vessels to enhance the security of energy and communication infrastructure.
In the agricultural sector, smart grain-leveling robots are being used in large storage silos to automate labor-intensive tasks, significantly reducing time and manpower requirements compared to traditional methods.
The report notes that embodied AI has been identified as a strategic growth sector in China’s latest five-year development plan beginning in 2026, alongside robotics, artificial intelligence, and next-generation communication technologies such as 6G.
Industry analysts cited in the report point to China’s extensive industrial ecosystem, with more than 24,000 companies engaged in robotics and related technologies across major manufacturing hubs including the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
Experts say this large-scale integration of real-world industrial applications is accelerating the evolution of robotics from experimental technology to practical, large-scale deployment, reshaping global competition in the sector.