Introduction

Based on the latest data and trends, the United States currently leads the global race in artificial intelligence (AI), while China dominates in industrial robotics. For humanoid robots, both countries are making significant strides, with China showing particularly rapid advancement in recent years.

What is difference between Robots and humanoids

A robot or industrial robots is any machine that can perform automated tasks, while a humanoid robot is specifically designed to resemble the human form and movements, meaning it has a body structure similar to a human with arms, legs, and a head, allowing it to interact with the world in a more human-like way; essentially, all humanoids are robots, but not all robots are humanoids. 

Artificial Intelligence Leadership

The United States maintains a clear lead in AI development

73% of large language models are being developed in the U.S., compared to China’s 15%.

The U.S. attracted $67.2 billion in AI-related private investment in 2023, far surpassing China’s $7.8 billion.

American companies like Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic are at the forefront of cutting-edge AI research.

Industrial Robotics Dominance

China leads in industrial robot usage

China has the highest number of installed industrial robots globally.

The country’s robot density increased to 392 robots per 10,000 employees in 2022, ranking it fifth worldwide.

China holds over two-thirds of the world’s robot-related patents.

However, other countries also show strong performance in robotics:

South Korea has the highest robot density at 1,012 robots per 10,000 employees.

Singapore, Germany, and Japan follow closely in robot density rankings.

Humanoid Robots Race

Both the U.S. and China are making significant progress in humanoid robotics:

China is rapidly advancing, with 2024 being a breakthrough year for Chinese humanoid robots.

Chinese companies unveiled advanced humanoids like Kuavo, Kepler Forerunner K2, and Tiangong in 2024.

The U.S. continues to innovate through companies like Boston Dynamics and Tesla.

Future Outlook

While the U.S. currently leads in AI, China’s ambitious plans and rapid progress suggest a tightening race:

China aims for AI supremacy by 2030 through its New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan.

President Xi has called for mass production of humanoid robots in China by 2025.

Conclusion

The global AI and robotics landscape remains dynamic, with both the U.S. and China pushing boundaries in different areas. Other countries like Japan, South Korea, and Germany also play significant roles in specific sectors of these technologies.