Governments worldwide are increasing investments in robotics research and development as labor shortages and rising costs persist. According to a report by TrendForce, China, Japan, the United States, South Korea, and Germany remain the top five countries for industrial robot installations and are expected to execute over $13 billion in related projects by 2025. While the United States has an advanced AI ecosystem, China is focusing on supply chain development, leading to a divergence in product pricing and application diversity.
The United States is primarily investing in smart robotics, autonomous systems, space robotics, and military applications, with companies such as Tesla and Boston Dynamics leading developments in humanoid robots for manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics. Technological advancements in the U.S. include AI training for high-frequency upper-body control, the integration of Google Gemini 2.0 for spatial awareness, and partnerships with NVIDIA to enhance locomotion stability. Semiconductor firms such as Qualcomm and NVIDIA provide computing solutions exceeding 150 TOPS, while companies like Texas Instruments and Analog Devices contribute to high-performance microcontroller units, reinforcing the country’s AI-driven robotics ecosystem.
China has designated robotics as a strategic priority in its 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025), issuing policy directives to support humanoid robotics innovation. The country is focused on developing a self-sufficient supply chain, with manufacturers such as Unitree Robotics, Fourier, and UBTECH investing in key components like coreless motors, 6D force-torque sensors, and harmonic drives. The “Movement Plane,” which accounts for approximately 55% of a humanoid robot’s total cost, has received substantial domestic investment. Companies including Tuopu Group, Sanhua Intelligent Controls, Hengli Hydraulic, Seenpin, and Zhaowei are supplying both the domestic and international markets, while China’s dominance in battery production is expected to play a critical role as humanoid robots move toward mass production.
A comparison of technological approaches shows that U.S. companies prioritize industrial applications, emphasizing payload capacity and battery life, while Chinese firms focus on versatility and greater degrees of freedom in movement. TrendForce suggests that, similar to the competition between high-capital and low-cost AI models, the humanoid robotics sector reflects each country’s strengths. Over the next five years, humanoid robots are expected to develop along tiered pricing and application models, with regional ecosystems shaping localized production and industrial growth.
