Overview
- Xpeng outlined a 2026 pilot for L4 robotaxis and a late‑2026 mass‑production goal for its IRON humanoid, highlighting dual‑redundant vehicle systems, a mapless driving model, indoor AEB for home collision avoidance, solid‑state batteries, and on‑device privacy.
- UBTech disclosed a 159 million yuan Walker S2 procurement in Zigong slated for November delivery, as a senior executive forecast industrial deployments first and household‑capable humanoids taking roughly 8–10 years.
- Star Dynamics announced a Ningbo facility and a 2026 production plan, pitching modular, mix‑and‑match humanoid configurations and a split cloud “big brain” with a local control “small brain.”
- Microsoft created an MAI superintelligent team to reduce reliance on OpenAI and emphasized safety‑first design, backed by a new agreement that lets Microsoft pursue its own AGI efforts and use OpenAI models through 2032.
- U.S. senators introduced a bipartisan bill requiring quarterly reports to the Labor Department on AI‑related job changes, and Morgan Stanley analysts projected Apple could enter robotics with a desktop assistant as early as 2027.