Updated
Updated · Global Times · Jul 2
UBTech Draws 10,000 Preorders for U1 Humanoid Robots Priced Up to 990,000 Yuan
Updated
Updated · Global Times · Jul 2

UBTech Draws 10,000 Preorders for U1 Humanoid Robots Priced Up to 990,000 Yuan

3 articles · Updated · Global Times · Jul 2

Summary

  • More than 10,000 preorders have been placed for UBTech’s newly launched U1 humanoid companion robots, with the company targeting annual production capacity of 50,000 bionic robots in 2026.
  • Priced from 119,800 yuan to 990,000 yuan, the adult-only U1 line comes in male and female versions and is marketed for emotional support, daily interaction, social assistance and household tasks.
  • UBTech said the robots can perform over 90% of basic human movements and use an emotional AI model that recognizes more than 20 emotional states with accuracy above 90%.
  • Online reaction has split between users who see a useful companion for care and emergencies and critics who warn that emotionally responsive robots could deepen dependence and weaken human relationships.

Insights

Can a $17,000 companion robot succeed where simpler social bots have failed to prove their value in the home?
By keeping its AI offline for privacy, is UBTech's new robot sacrificing its ability to learn and get smarter?
Is China's massive humanoid robot push a tech revolution or an investment bubble on the verge of popping?