Unitree Founder Wang Xingxing: Physical AI Could See Key Progress in Coming Years

At Unitree's 10th anniversary ecosystem conference on October 25, founder Wang Xingxing said the world still does not pay enough attention to or believe in AI. He identified data, computing power, chips and energy as the most critical future resources, and predicted that physical AI could see key progress in the coming years.

Wang has repeatedly stressed the importance of AI. At a recent industrial expo, he said his biggest mistake over the past decade was not believing in AI strongly enough. He noted that while many marvel at robot hardware, the integration of AI with the physical world is just beginning.

Founded in Hangzhou in 2016, Unitree started with quadruped robots before moving into humanoid robots. Its G1 humanoid robot has seen accumulated production of roughly 10,000 to 20,000 units over two years, and its quadruped robots once held nearly 70% of global sales share. On August 19, 2026, Unitree listed on the A-share market, becoming the first publicly traded embodied AI company in China. Its robots have also appeared twice on the CCTV Spring Festival Gala.

Wang also said Unitree plans to expand robot production capacity and increase research into AI models and computing in the coming years. The company has long used cost as a KPI in R&D, with only three full-time staff working on its first-generation humanoid robot.