Overview
- JD created the Chameleon business unit to consolidate JoyAI, JoyInside and digital-human services and to drive commercialization across its retail ecosystem, according to multiple reports.
- A second batch of JD’s self-developed AI toys is reported to be in preparation for a mid-January launch, with products positioned for users across age groups.
- JD cites JoyAI model advances that raise inference efficiency by about 30% and cut training costs by about 70%, reports more than 45,000 brands using its digital humans by December 2025, and says JoyInside is integrated with 40-plus robot and AI toy brands.
- At CES 2026, robots and other embodied ‘physical AI’ took center stage, yet demonstrations highlighted hurdles such as compute demands, battery limits and real-world robustness that keep affordable, truly useful home humanoids out of near-term reach.
- Ecosystem moves included Leju Robotics partnering with Alibaba Cloud and the Qianwen model to improve humanoid interactions, Nvidia detailing Rubin’s modular, fully liquid-cooled platform to tackle cost and power constraints, and Bill Gates urging stronger AI governance to curb misuse and manage labor impacts.