SoftBank Group and Nvidia are reportedly in talks to participate in a more than $1 billion funding round for Skild AI, a maker of foundation models for robots.By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions .Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.The rou ...

在具身智能迈向真实世界应用的关键阶段，大规模、高质量、多平台兼容的机器人操作数据已成为制约技术突 破的核心瓶颈：一方面，双臂操作作为最贴近人类行为的"刚需"形态，正成为行业主流趋势，但受限于高昂的 采集成本与复杂的标注难度，相关数据极度稀缺；另一方面，现有数据集普遍存在真实场景覆盖不足、任务单 一、过度实验室化等问题，且大多仅适配特定或有限种类的机器人本体与构型，缺乏跨平台、跨本体的通用 性。 为破解这一难题，北京智源人工智能研究院牵头，联合 蚂蚁天玑实验室、银河通用、乐聚、软通天擎、松 灵、星海图、智平方、睿尔曼 等产业先锋，以及 清华大学、北京大学、斯坦福、伯克利、剑桥 等海内外顶尖 学 术 力 量 ， 共 同 打 造 并 发 布 了 RoboCOIN （ Bimanual Robotic Data COllection for INtegrated Manipulation） —— 全球"本体数最多、标注最精细、使用最便捷"的高质量双臂机器人真机数据集 。 破局三大挑战：格式混乱、质量参差、使用门槛高 当前具身智能数据正面临 "标准缺失、质控薄弱、工具分散" 三大核心痛点，严重制约行业发展： 为系统性解 ...

Core Insights - The article announces the upcoming deadline for the "2025 China Technology Power Annual List" registration, which is set for November 30, 2023 [3] - This year marks the fifth consecutive year of the InfoQ list evaluation, with participation from over 100 companies, including major industry players and innovative representatives [4] - The theme for this year's list is "Insight into AI Transformation, Witnessing Intelligent Future," focusing on eight key areas related to AI advancements [4] Summary by Categories - The evaluation will cover eight award categories, including: - 2025 AI Infrastructure Excellence Award TOP20 - 2025 AI Engineering and Deployment Excellence Award TOP20 - "Artificial Intelligence +" Best Industry Solution TOP20 - AI Agent Most Productive Product/Application/Platform TOP15 - Data & AI Most Valuable Product/Platform TOP10 - AI Coding Most Productive Product TOP5 - Embodied Intelligence Star Product TOP10 - AI Open Source Star Project TOP10 [5] Event Details - The results of the annual list evaluation will be announced on December 19, 2023, during the AICon·Beijing event, which will also feature an award ceremony [8] - The two-day event will gather industry experts from leading companies and innovative teams to discuss trending AI topics, including Agents, AI Programming, Embodied Intelligence, and Multimodal [8] Keynote Sessions - The event will feature various keynote sessions focusing on topics such as: - The revolution in content creation driven by multimodal large models - The evolution and implementation of Agent technology - New paradigms in software development in the LLM era - Practical challenges and experiences in deploying Coding Agents at scale [10][11][12] Participation Invitation - Companies and teams are encouraged to share their latest achievements and outstanding projects in the AI field, covering areas such as infrastructure development, innovative engineering and deployment, and productivity enhancement through intelligent agents [25]

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - The conference call discusses the **embodied intelligence** sector, focusing on the evolution of robotics and AI technologies, particularly the shift from model-driven to data-driven approaches in robot algorithms [1][2][3]. Core Insights and Arguments - **Algorithmic Changes**: The robotics industry is experiencing a significant transition from model-driven algorithms to data-driven approaches, driven by advancements in generative AI since 2022. This shift allows robots to not only perform actions but also understand and reason about tasks [2][3]. - **Main Algorithm Architectures**: Three primary algorithm architectures are identified: 1. **Hierarchical Control Framework**: Established since 1985, separating perception and motion control, still widely used due to its minimal disruption to existing systems [4]. 2. **VLA (Vision-Language-Action) Model**: Gaining traction among startups since 2023, suitable for interactive scenarios but may need to work alongside hierarchical frameworks in industrial settings for safety [4]. 3. **World Model**: Focuses on autonomous understanding of the physical world through continuous data, requiring high-fidelity simulations, but faces challenges in practical deployment [4][8]. - **Data Acquisition Methods**: The industry relies on three main data acquisition methods: 1. **Real Machine Acquisition**: High-value but costly, involving remote operations and large-scale training environments. 2. **Video Learning**: More cost-effective, using real video recordings to train robots. 3. **Simulation Data**: Often used by startups to compensate for the lack of real data, requiring strict data cleaning [10][20]. - **Data Security Concerns**: Increasing data security issues are highlighted, with incidents of unauthorized data transmission raising concerns about privacy and safety, especially as robots enter domestic service sectors [11][12]. - **Benchmarking and Evaluation**: The lack of a unified evaluation benchmark in the embodied intelligence sector is noted, with Stanford University introducing the **Behavior 1K** benchmark to assess embodied intelligence models, which could accelerate technological development [17]. Additional Important Content - **Research and Development Efficiency**: Companies are urged to optimize R&D processes and enhance cross-department collaboration to improve efficiency in response to industry demands [13]. - **Physical AI's Role**: Physical AI is recognized as crucial for simulation modeling, with applications in various industrial scenarios, showcasing its potential to enhance intelligent attributes [18][19]. - **Software Ecosystem**: The robotics software ecosystem comprises models, data analysis, simulation tools, and evaluation systems, attracting numerous tech companies to participate and create commercial opportunities [21]. - **Future Trends**: Over the next 3-5 years, the three algorithmic approaches are expected to coexist and evolve gradually, with hierarchical frameworks remaining relevant for industrial applications while VLA models gain traction in human-robot interaction [9]. This summary encapsulates the key points discussed in the conference call, providing insights into the current state and future directions of the embodied intelligence industry.

Core Insights - The article discusses the pivotal moment for China's robotics industry as it transitions from a phase of introduction and expansion to a period of deep cultivation and strength by 2025 [4][5] - It emphasizes the importance of identifying key players and emerging stars in the industry to guide future development and resource allocation [6][8] Group 1: Industry Characteristics - The robotics industry is characterized by a dual structure: mature market competition in industrial and service robots, and an impending technological breakthrough in humanoid robots and embodied intelligence [5][11] - The competition has shifted from incremental growth to a mix of stock and incremental competition, necessitating leadership from major enterprises to drive high-quality growth [5][6] Group 2: Significance of the Rankings - The LeadeRobot rankings aim to systematically identify and value the core forces in the robotics industry, serving as a guide for current and future developments [3][6] - The rankings consist of two lists: the "Top 50 Leading Enterprises" and the "Top 50 Emerging Stars," each fulfilling distinct roles in the industry [3][11] Group 3: Leading Enterprises - The "Top 50 Leading Enterprises" list identifies industry giants that have established systematic advantages and overcome initial uncertainties [8][10] - These leading enterprises are not only market leaders but also technology innovators, market educators, ecosystem builders, and benchmarks for sustainable business models [9][10] Group 4: Emerging Stars - The "Top 50 Emerging Stars" list focuses on companies with transformative potential in embodied intelligence, showcasing their unique technological advancements and innovative applications [11][12] - Key traits of these emerging stars include forward-looking technology, innovative scene definitions, exceptional team execution, and verifiable commercial potential [12][13] Group 5: Call to Action - The article invites industry leaders and innovative newcomers to participate in the rankings, emphasizing the importance of showcasing their strengths and contributions to the industry [16][17]

Group 1 - The core point of the article is that the embodied intelligence robotics company "Star Motion Era" has completed a 1 billion yuan A+ round of financing, led by Geely Capital, with participation from several other investment funds [1][4] - "Star Motion Era" has established partnerships with major companies such as Geely, Renault, SF Express, TCL, Haier, and Lenovo, with commercial orders expected to exceed 500 million yuan by 2025 [1][4] - The company is actively expanding its overseas business, with 50% of its products already entering markets in North America, Europe, Japan, and South Korea [4] Group 2 - "Star Motion Era" is implementing a standardized and reusable logistics handling and sorting solution, utilizing its full-size bipedal robot, Star Motion L7, integrated with the VLA embodied model ERA-42 [3][4] - The company has developed various robotic modules, including multiple dexterous hands and service robots, allowing for flexible adjustments to meet different industry needs [8][9] - The self-research ratio of core components exceeds 95%, indicating a strong commitment to in-house development and innovation in robotics [9] Group 3 - The ERA-42 model incorporates vast internet video data to enhance the robot's ability to learn physical laws and perform more refined operations, improving task completion rates in unfamiliar scenarios by 44.7% [7][9] - "Star Motion Era" aims to build a "model-body-scene data" flywheel through its focus on both robotics hardware and embodied intelligence [9] - The company's founder, Chen Jianyu, is affiliated with Tsinghua University, highlighting the academic backing and expertise behind the company's innovations [9]

Summary of Conference Call on Humanoid Robotics Industry Industry Overview - The conference focused on the humanoid robotics sector within the China Industrials industry, highlighting the current state and future expectations for humanoid robots and related technologies [1][3][9]. Key Companies Discussed - **Fortior (1304.HK)** - **Paxini (Private)** - **Zhaowei (003021.SZ)** - **UBTECH (9880.HK)** - **TC Drive (Private)** - **Youibot (Private)** [3] Core Insights and Arguments Adoption and Market Growth - UBTECH has delivered approximately 200 humanoid robots year-to-date (YTD) and anticipates reaching around 500 units and approximately Rmb400 million in revenue for the full year 2025, with expectations of 2,000 to 3,000 units in 2026 [4][18]. - Paxini predicts the industry volume of humanoids with working capabilities will reach 10,000 units in 2026 [4]. - Zhaowei expects its revenue from humanoid-related products to quadruple to around Rmb100 million in 2026 from Rmb20-30 million in 2025 [14]. - TC Drive anticipates its humanoid-related revenue to double next year [27]. Importance of Use Case Verification - User feedback is deemed crucial for growth in 2026, with companies like TC Drive and Youibot emphasizing the need for real-world application testing to validate humanoid robots' effectiveness [5][30]. - Specialized robots are seen as more efficient and cost-effective for industrial applications, with humanoids serving as supplemental solutions [5][30]. Technological Developments - Fortior is developing a coreless motor joint venture and rotary transformer technology, indicating ongoing innovation in humanoid components [12]. - Zhaowei is exploring various dexterous hand technologies, noting that no single optimal solution exists yet [15]. - UBTECH is set to unveil a new humanoid model equipped with the Nvidia Thor chip in 1H26, aiming to enhance performance [18][20]. Challenges and Limitations - Despite improvements in humanoid robots' working capabilities, efficiency remains significantly lower than human labor, currently at about 30% of human efficiency, with a target to improve to 60% next year [19]. - The humanoid robotics industry is still in its early stages, with many technologies not yet fully developed or settled [12][9]. Additional Important Insights - The supply chain is experimenting with new technologies, such as rotary transformers and aluminum components, but practical applications remain uncertain [9]. - Real data collection is critical for training humanoid robots, with companies like Paxini investing in data collection facilities to gather high-quality data for machine learning [23][25]. - The market outlook for humanoid robotics remains optimistic, with various companies setting ambitious targets for 2026 despite the current limitations in humanoid capabilities [9]. Conclusion - The humanoid robotics industry is poised for growth, driven by technological advancements and increasing adoption in various sectors. However, challenges related to efficiency, technology development, and real-world application validation must be addressed to realize the full potential of humanoid robots in the market [1][9].

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - XPENG reported total revenues of RMB 20.38 billion for Q3 2025, a 101.8% increase year-over-year and an 11.5% increase quarter-over-quarter [24] - Vehicle sales revenues were RMB 18.05 billion, reflecting a 105.3% year-over-year increase and a 6.9% quarter-over-quarter increase [24] - Gross margin reached 20.1%, up from 15.3% in Q3 2024 and 17.3% in Q2 2025 [25] - Net loss narrowed to RMB 0.38 billion, compared to RMB 1.81 billion year-over-year and RMB 0.48 billion quarter-over-quarter [26] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Vehicle deliveries totaled 116,007 units in Q3 2025, a 149% increase year-over-year [6] - Revenues from services and others were RMB 2.33 billion, representing a 78.1% year-over-year increase [25] - R&D expenses increased to RMB 2.43 billion, a 48.7% year-over-year rise [26] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Monthly overseas deliveries exceeded 5,000 units for the first time in September 2025, a 79% increase year-over-year [13] - The company expanded its sales and service network to 52 countries and regions, with 56 new overseas stores opened during Q3 [13] Company Strategy and Development Direction - XPENG aims to achieve break-even in Q4 2025 and is focused on Physical AI R&D, targeting mass production of VLA 2.0 models, Robotaxi, and humanoid robots by 2026 [7][9] - The company plans to launch three super extended range products in Q1 2026 to capture more of the EREV market [12] - XPENG is developing an extensive portfolio of technologies and products in the physical AI space, with a goal to become a leading global company in embodied intelligence [8] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving significant sales growth opportunities through the introduction of new models and expansion into international markets [22] - The company anticipates total deliveries in Q4 2025 to reach between 125,000 and 132,000 units, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 36.6%-44.3% [22] - Management highlighted the importance of an open and dynamic ecosystem for unlocking the full potential of physical AI [9] Other Important Information - XPENG's first European localized production facility in Austria commenced operations, with initial batches of XPENG G6 and G9 produced [13] - The company plans to open-source its VLA 2.0 model to global commercial partners, with Volkswagen as the initial launch customer [16] Q&A Session Summary Question: XPENG's long-term competitive advantage in physical AI - Management emphasized the shift from traditional automaking to a physical AI model, focusing on full-stack technology capability and cross-domain integration [30][31] Question: Revenue from collaboration with Volkswagen - Revenue from technical collaboration is expected to remain comparable to Q3 levels in Q4, with Turing SoC revenue starting to be recognized in Q4 [34][35] Question: Humanoid robot strategy and competitive advantage - Management highlighted XPENG's unique approach to humanoid robots, focusing on human-like features and full-stack R&D capabilities [40][42] Question: Commercialization milestones for humanoid robots - Management outlined the challenges of mass production and the goal to implement robots in commercial scenarios by 2026 [45][47] Question: Robotaxi service launch in 2026 - Management discussed the inflection points in R&D that will enable the launch of Robotaxi services, emphasizing cost reduction and operational efficiency [51][52]

Core Insights - Dexmal, a company specializing in embodied intelligence, has completed a Series A+ financing round amounting to several hundred million yuan, with Alibaba as the sole investor [1] - The previous Series A round was led by NIO Capital, with participation from several other investors, raising nearly 1 billion yuan across both rounds [1] - The funds will primarily be used for the research and development of software and hardware technologies for embodied intelligent robots [1] Company Overview - Dexmal was established in March 2025 and has developed a one-stop VLA toolbox called Dexbotic, along with a robot hardware platform named DOS-W1 [1] - The company has also launched a large-scale real machine evaluation platform called RoboChallenge, focusing on advancing the embodied intelligence robotics industry through software, hardware, and standards [1] - The team has accumulated substantial practical experience in the field of AI logistics robots [1]

Core Viewpoint - Moer Technology is set to launch its IPO on the Sci-Tech Innovation Board, marking the emergence of the first domestic GPU company in the high-end AI chip sector [1] Group 1: Company Overview - Moer Technology focuses on the independent research and development of full-function GPUs since its establishment in 2020, aligning with national strategic needs [1] - The company has achieved significant technological breakthroughs with its fully self-developed MUSA unified system architecture, enabling a single chip to support AI computing acceleration, graphics rendering, physical simulation, scientific computing, and ultra-high-definition video encoding [1][2] Group 2: Market Potential - The global GPU market is projected to reach 3.62 trillion yuan by 2029, with China's market expected to grow to 1.36 trillion yuan, increasing its global share from 15.6% in 2024 to 37.8% by 2029, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 51.1% [2] - Moer Technology's revenue is forecasted to grow from 46 million yuan in 2022 to 438 million yuan in 2024, with a compound annual growth rate exceeding 208%, and revenue for the first half of 2025 is expected to reach 702 million yuan [2] Group 3: Technological Advancements - The company has successfully mass-produced five chips and completed four GPU architecture iterations over the past five years, creating a diverse product matrix covering various application fields [2][3] - Moer Technology's products are widely used in key areas such as large model training inference, digital twins, and cloud computing, demonstrating strong practical applicability and market expansion potential [2] Group 4: Research and Development - The company has invested over 4.3 billion yuan in R&D from 2022 to June 2025, with over 77% of its workforce dedicated to research [3] - As of June 2025, Moer Technology has obtained 514 authorized patents covering critical technology areas such as processor architecture design and AI applications [3] Group 5: IPO Fund Utilization - The funds raised from the IPO will primarily be used for the development of next-generation self-controlled AI training and inference chips, graphics chips, and AI SoC chips, as well as to supplement working capital [4] - The company aims to enhance innovation project R&D investment and support national strategies for accelerating key technology independence and building new computing infrastructure [4]