China is Churning Out a Growing Army of Service Robots
While Chinese companies are gaining market share, they face familiar problems such as lack of profits and pushback from foreign governments.
A service robot at work in a restaurant in Guangzhou, China. Credit: Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
While humanoid robots have been capturing the headlines and imagination, a quiet automation revolution has been taking place in households and businesses.
Across China and elsewhere, autonomous machines are now delivering meals in restaurants and scrubbing floors in train stations, malls, and office lobbies. In suburban homes, robots are mowing lawns and cleaning pools. In 2024, nearly 20 million of such service robots were sold to consumers worldwide and another 200,000 units to busine
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