The Embodied AI Robotics Innovation Center of Guangdong Province was launched in Nanshan District on April 16. The establishment of the center marked a solid step forward for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) in the field of “artificial intelligence (AI) + robotics.”

The center will focus on the innovative development of humanoid robots and embodied AI in industries such as special, medical, power, manufacturing, and service robots.

It also aims to gather top research and development personnel, attract more social resources and talent, and build a stronger think tank for policy analysis and technological breakthroughs to promote the high-quality development in the field.

The Embodied AI Robotics Innovation Center of Guangdong Province was launched in Nanshan District on April 16. 

Embodied AI refers to the combination of AI and robotics that enables machines to perceive, understand, and act in the physical world. With embodied AI, humanoid robots will be able to perceive the world and are expected to change people’s lives.

The GBA is an important area for the global supply chain of humanoid robots and boasts a complete industrial system, solid foundation in the manufacturing industry, and rich application scenarios, which gives the area an edge in developing embodied AI.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen began preparing the establishment of the innovation center at the end of 2023. On Feb. 28, the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Guangdong Province officially gave the go-ahead.

In March this year, Shenzhen has included the AI industry, robotics industry, and intelligent robotics industry in its “20+8” strategic emerging industrial clusters and future industries, and has formulated and issued action plans to support the high-quality growth of these industries.

In Nanshan, the robotics industry has developed rapidly and achieved remarkable results in recent years. Statistics show that the industry’s output value in the district reached 62.12 billion yuan (US$8.58 billion) in 2023, with a growth rate of 14.16%.

The added value of the district’s robotics industry grew by 24.93% to achieve 5.67 billion yuan last year, accounting for 59.35% of the city’s total.