Unitree Robotics humanoid robots at the inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, China on Aug 16, 2025. Ant is the latest big name to delve into humanoid robots, a nascent field fought over by the likes of Tesla Inc and dotted by up-and-comers like Unitree Robotics. — Reuters
Jack Ma-backed Ant Group Co showcased its first humanoid robot on Sept 11, formally joining an intensifying effort by Chinese companies to compete with the US in commercialising a frontier technology.
The company’s unit Shanghai Ant Lingbo Technology Co, also known as Robbyant, demonstrated its R1 humanoid model at the 2025 Inclusion Conference on the Bund in Shanghai. The robot can serve as a tour guide, sort medicine at pharmacies, provide medical consultation or perform basic kitchen tasks.
