Guangdong sets 2028 targets for manufacturing AI adoption and humanoid robot output

At Guangdong's Advanced Manufacturing Conference held in Guangzhou on October 9, 2026, Wu Hong, first-level inspector of the Guangdong Department of Industry and Information Technology, said the province aims to have AI technology applied in more than 50% of manufacturing enterprises above designated size by 2028.

Guangdong also targets annual production of more than 80,000 humanoid robots and plans to build over 1,000 smart factories, including advanced, excellent and leading-level intelligent factories, as well as 1,000 green factories, according to Wu. The province aims to become a global hub for embodied intelligence industries.

Wu said Guangdong will promote intelligent, green and integrated development of manufacturing, advance new-generation intelligent manufacturing, deepen the intelligent transformation and digital upgrading of industry, improve the AI ecosystem, and make full use of the Yuezhifu platform to empower manufacturing with AI. The province will also promote industrial park standardization and build high-standard digital parks to strengthen advanced manufacturing.

Guangdong currently accounts for more than 40% of China's industrial robot output and over 80% of its service robot output. Its humanoid robot output is expected to account for about one-third of China's total in 2026, and more than 3,000 humanoid robots are expected to work in Guangdong factories this year.