TOKYO — The robotics industry is likely two to five years away from experiencing a "GPT moment" similar to the breakthrough ChatGPT brought to generative artificial intelligence, according to a senior executive at Unitree Robotics, a leading Chinese humanoid robot maker.

Unitree Robotics emphasized that AI must significantly improve its ability to control hardware like robots, as operating in diverse environments requires processing many more variables. The company plans to invest nearly half of its IPO proceeds into embodied AI research to advance this capability.

This assessment was shared on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, highlighting the current challenges in robotics compared to AI advancements in software.

Sources