Beijing Official Says Humanoid Robots Enhance Workforce, Avoid Job Loss

Chinese officials, including Liang Liang, deputy director at the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, have emphasized that humanoid robots will not replace human workers or cause mass unemployment but rather boost productivity and assist in hazardous or undesirable tasks. The government-backed X-Humanoid Robotics Innovation Centre showcased this vision through a robot half-marathon in Beijing, where robots and humans competed on separate tracks to symbolize collaboration rather than competition. Liang highlighted that these robots can operate continuously, including at night when humans rest, enhancing efficiency and providing better and cheaper products. The robots are designed to complement human labor by undertaking tasks humans are unwilling or unable to do, such as deep-sea or space exploration, and navigating complex environments with self-correcting capabilities. China's significant state investment in robotics aims to reshape workforce integration globally by promoting cooperation between humans and machines, potentially influencing economic policies and labor markets worldwide. The overarching message from Chinese authorities is that humanoid robots are tools to augment human potential and innovation, not to supplant human employment.