Xin Lang Cai Jing·2026-01-28 10:08Core Insights - The CEO of Li Auto, Li Xiang, emphasized that 2026 is the last year for companies aiming to become leaders in AI to get on board, with Level 4 (L4) autonomy expected to be realized by 2028. He believes that ultimately, no more than three companies will dominate the global landscape in foundational models, chips, operating systems, and embodied intelligence, and Li Auto aims to be one of them [2][11]. Group 1: AI and Robotics Strategy - Li Auto plans to strengthen its brand positioning in embodied intelligence, moving beyond just creating mobile homes to developing humanoid robots, which are expected to be unveiled soon [2][11]. - The company will undergo a reorganization of its R&D teams, categorizing them into foundational model teams, software teams, and hardware teams, with automotive and robotics projects falling under the hardware category [2][11]. - Li Auto is actively recruiting top talent, including former employees who left to start their own ventures in the robotics field, to bolster its capabilities in embodied intelligence [2][11]. Group 2: Market Position and Product Development - During a Q3 2025 earnings call, Li Xiang stated that the electric vehicle industry has reached a dead end in parameter competition, and that simply integrating mobile applications into vehicles is redundant. Instead, Li Auto is defining its vehicles as "embodied intelligent" products, transforming them from mere transportation tools into robots with sensory and cognitive capabilities [9][18]. - Although Li Auto had previously paused its humanoid robot development due to technological and supply chain challenges, it has continued to make strides in the broader robotics field, establishing departments for "space robots" and "wearable robots" [9][18]. - The company has recently posted multiple job openings for humanoid robot development on its official recruitment page, indicating a comprehensive approach to developing core components and system integration for humanoid robots [3][12].