Unitree CEO: Humanoid robots' ChatGPT moment years away
XI'AN, CHINA - JULY 22: Wang Xingxing, founder of Unitree Robotics, speaks at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Internet Conference Digital Silk Road Development Forum on July 22, 2026 in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province of China.
Key takeaways
- Unitree Robotics continues to dominate headlines with its latest “Superman” humanoid, which can leap 2 metres vertically and run at 12.66 m/s—surpassing both the standing‑high‑jump and sprint records of human athletes despite having legs only 0.85 m long.
- The robot, developed in just over three months, is the company’s third major performance breakthrough this year, following the H1 model that previously hit a 10 m/s running speed.
- On the same week that the robot was unveiled, Unitree’s Shanghai IPO surged more than 460 % above the offering price, propelling the firm into a landmark market debut and underscoring investor enthusiasm for China’s burgeoning humanoid sector, which analysts expect to ship 50,000 units in 2026, up from 12,000 in 2025.
- Despite the rapid hardware advances, founder Wang Xingxing cautioned that a “ChatGPT moment” for humanoid robots—where they can generalise across tasks and execute precise movements—may still be a decade away.
- In parallel, U.S. startup Foundation is promoting its Phantom humanoid for border‑security patrols, claiming the robot can navigate rugged terrain and flag potential crossings, although the Department of Homeland Security says no formal contracts are in place.
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XI'AN, CHINA - JULY 22: Wang Xingxing, founder of Unitree Robotics, speaks at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Internet Conference Digital Silk Road Development Forum on July 22, 2026 in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province of China.
Vcg | Visual China Group | Getty Images
Humanoid robots may be a decade away from their "ChatGPT moment," Unitree Robotics founder Wang Xingxing has said, following his company's soaring market debut.
Unitree debuted in Shanghai on Wednesday and soared to close 460% above its 150.80 yuan offer price, more than five times the price at which the company priced its $905 million initial public offering, amid huge interest in humanoid robotics as an emerging sector. Morgan Stanley forecasts China's humanoid shipments to reach 50,000 this year, up from 12,000 in 2025.
"Unitree's IPO puts the commercial potential of China's robotics boom in the spotlight," said Ying Zhang, from the Economist Intelligence Unit. The next test for embodied AI, Zhang said, is whether technological advances translate into productivity gains and economic returns that justify large-scale deployment.
Nomura initiated coverage of Unitree on Wednesday, with a buy rating and a 370-yuan price target, citing its hardware cost moat and rapid product iteration. Outsourced components account for less than one-fifth of its total cost, helping expand the gross margin to 60% in 2025, from 44% in 2022, Nomura estimates. Join IC
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Humanoid robots' 'ChatGPT moment' could be 10 years away, Unitree founder says
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Key Points
Unitree founder Wang Xingxing says it could take up to 10 years for humanoid robots to have their "ChatGPT" breakthrough. He said robots still struggle to generalize across unfamiliar tasks and execute precise movements. His warning follows the company's Shanghai debut on Wednesday, when its stock closed 460% above its IPO price.
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