Launch Unitree · CITIC Unitree, a Chinese maker of quadruped and humanoid robots, is valued at over $7.4 billion yuan following its IPO listing, according to CITIC. Chinese robot maker Unitree seen worth over $7.4 billion yuan after IPO, Citic says · Reuters
Launch Google · Sharpa Google released a new robotics foundation model designed to work with the Sharpa dexterous hand on complex manipulation tasks. Google Releases Next-Generation Robotics Foundation Model, Paired with Sharpa Dexterous Hand to Complete Complex Tasks · Gasgoo
Launch Qualcomm A Qualcomm-powered humanoid robot failed catastrophically during the company's keynote presentation, collapsing on stage before stagehands removed it. Qualcomm-powered robot collapses spectacularly on stage during company's keynote — prepared stagehands rush to cloak and then carry off stricken humanoid (updated) · Tom's Hardware
Launch BYD BYD, the Chinese EV giant, will debut its first humanoid robot in early August, expanding beyond automobiles into physical AI. BYD to Unveil Its First Humanoid Robot in Early August · eletric-vehicles.com
Launch Sanctuary Cognition Sanctuary Cognition unveiled Gene.01, a humanoid robot equipped with artificial skin that can sense touch and temperature. Gene.01 humanoid robot with smart skin · Mashable
Launch ACUA Ocean · Teledyne FLIR Defense · Royal Navy · UK Ministry of Defence — Neil Tinmouth The Royal Navy tested a robotic boat that autonomously launches and recovers surveillance drones at sea, combining ACUA Ocean's vessel with Teledyne FLIR's tethered aircraft system. US ally trials drone-launching robotic boat for autonomous sea surveillance · Interesting Engineering
Launch M'bishi Motors M'bishi Motors is partnering with a startup to begin mass production of humanoid robots, marking a major automaker's push into physical AI manufacturing. M'bishi Motors teams up with startup to mass produce humanoid robots · Japan Wire by Kyodo News
Launch AMD · Eric Trump Foundation — Eric Trump An Eric Trump-backed foundation has partnered with AMD to develop humanoid robots, signaling corporate-backed interest in physical AI infrastructure. Eric Trump-backed Foundation partners with AMD to develop humanoid robots · Reuters
Launch Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology — Shim Hyun-chul, Kim Hyung-jun The South Korean Navy tested Pibot, a humanoid robot developed by KAIST, as a ship's helmsman, following voice commands and operating controls in a simulator. South Korean Navy tests humanoid robot as ship helmsman · upi.com
Launch AgiBot AgiBot, a Chinese humanoid-robot maker, has begun the process of listing on the Hong Kong stock exchange. Chinese robot maker AgiBot starts Hong Kong IPO process, Securities Times reports · Reuters
Launch Samsung Electronics Samsung Electronics' stock climbed on news of the company's expanded robotics initiatives as it pursues physical AI capabilities. Samsung Electronics shares rise as robotics move highlights push into physical AI · CNBC
Launch Matrix Robotics Matrix Robotics unveiled the MATRIX-3 humanoid robot at WAIC 2026, positioning the third-generation model toward autonomous physical labor. WAIC 2026 | Matrix Robotics Unveils MATRIX-3 Humanoid Robot · Gasgoo
Launch Xiaomi Xiaomi displayed its factory robot at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference alongside over 300 physical robots, releasing operational performance data. Xiaozhi Weekly News | Over 300 Physical Robots Appear at WAIC; Xiaomi Robot Reveals Factory "Report Card" · Gasgoo
Launch NEURA Robotics · Amazon Web Services NEURA Robotics and Amazon Web Services announced a strategic partnership to accelerate physical-AI training and explore robot deployment in Amazon fulfillment centers. NEURA Robotics and Amazon Web Services Enter Strategic Collaboration to Accelerate Physical AI at Scale · Neura Robotics
Launch AGIBOT — Peng Zhihui AGIBOT unveiled four new robots at Shanghai's AI conference, betting that manufacturing and factory deployment matter more than impressive demos. AGIBOT Unveils Four New Products at WAIC 2026, Showcasing Embodied AI in Real-World Operations · AgiBot
Launch NEURA Robotics · Technical University of Munich NEURA Robotics and the Technical University of Munich are opening Europe's largest Physical AI training center at Munich Airport, deploying humanoid robots to generate training data. NEURA Robotics and the Technical University of Munich launch Europe’s largest scientific training center for Physical AI · Neura Robotics
Launch NVIDIA NVIDIA released a new AI model designed to train robots, positioning itself as a central physical AI infrastructure player. NVIDIA Just Released a Seriously Impressive AI Model for Robots—This Could Be the Big Catalyst · 24/7 Wall St.
Launch NVIDIA Japanese manufacturers are adopting NVIDIA's Cosmos foundation model to train robots that can perceive and manipulate the physical world. Japan’s Robotics and Manufacturing Leaders Build on NVIDIA Cosmos to Advance Physical AI Frontier - NVIDIA Newsroom · NVIDIA Newsroom
Launch UBTech UBTech unveiled the U1, a mass-production humanoid robot with emotional AI designed for lifelong companionship. Humanoid robot designed ‘for a lifetime’ of companionship unveiled · The Independent
Launch Agility Robotics — Peggy Johnson Agility Robotics, led by Peggy Johnson, is going public via SPAC merger, becoming the first pure-play humanoid robotics company to trade publicly. This humanoid robotics company is going public, but its CEO isn't promising a robot in your home anytime soon · TechCrunch
Launch UMA · Tesla · Hugging Face · Figure — Rémi Cadène, Simon Alibert, Rob Knight Rémi Cadène, who led AI systems at Tesla's Optimus lab, is launching UMA, a Paris-based humanoid robot startup targeting Europe's aging workforce and industrial warehouses. Ex-Tesla Optimus scientist unveils European humanoid robot startup · Electrek
Funding Humanoid Humanoid, a European robotics startup, has raised $152 million at a $1.35 billion valuation, joining the unicorn club as physical AI companies command investor appetite. Humanoid Raises $152 Million At $1.35 Billion Valuation: Europe’s Newest Robot Unicorn · Forbes
Research A study finds humanoid robots can assist teachers in classrooms without displacing them, suggesting a collaborative rather than replacement model for educational AI. Humanoid classroom robots show potential as teaching assistants, not teacher replacements · Phys.org
Research University of California San Diego — Michael Yip, Nikita Thareja, Shanglei Liu UC San Diego researchers used two teleoperated humanoid robots to successfully complete gallbladder surgeries, suggesting a cheaper, more portable alternative to today's massive surgical systems. Two humanoid robots successfully completed telesurgeries for the first time ever · Earth.com
Research Humanoid AI · Bosch · Schaeffler · Siemens — Sotirios Stasinopoulos, Artem Sokolov Humanoid AI, a London-based startup founded by Artem Sokolov, is building wheeled humanoid robots with a four-layer AI architecture to compete against American and Chinese rivals. The 4 Layers Of Brain Behind One Of Europe’s Leading Humanoid Robots · Forbes
Opinion Waymo — Terence Sheahan Waymo Co-CEO Terence Sheahan warns AI companies building autonomous systems about unspecified constraints or challenges. Waymo's Co-CEO Just Issued a Stark Warning to Every AI Company Building Robots and Cars: 'There's Simply · Benzinga
Opinion Hyundai Hyundai positions itself as a Physical AI player in a promotional video rather than announcing a concrete product or deployment. Hyundai’s big bet beyond cars: Physical AI in 2 minutes · koreaherald.com
Opinion Tesla — Elon Musk Elon Musk claims Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot could become the company's most valuable product, though a Business Insider analysis flags three major obstacles to commercialization. Elon Musk says Optimus could be Tesla's biggest product ever. It still has 3 huge hurdles. · Business Insider
Opinion Carnegie Mellon — Carnegie Mellon Carnegie Mellon researcher argues robots could eventually compete professionally in sports, challenging assumptions about human athletic exclusivity. Could robots play sports professionally? Carnegie Mellon researcher says yes · TribLIVE.com
Opinion — Oren Etzioni, Elon Musk Oren Etzioni argues Chinese manufacturers are delivering humanoid robots to factories while Elon Musk promises them. Etzioni on AI: Elon Musk promised humanoid robots, but China delivered · GeekWire
Other A Trump administration ban on Chinese-made robots inadvertently catches smart vacuums, cutting off American consumers from the Chinese manufacturers that control two-thirds of the global market. Smart vacuums swept up in U.S. ban on imports of Chinese robots · NBC News
Other The U.S. is moving to block robot imports from China, prompting Beijing to threaten retaliation in an escalating trade dispute over physical AI technology. China Threatens Retaliation as U.S. Moves to Block Robot Imports · The New York Times
Other Siemens Siemens showcases humanoid robots and quadrupedal machines in promotional material depicting warehouse logistics and infrastructure inspection scenarios. Humanoids loading crates and robot dogs sniffing out gas leaks · Siemens Newsroom
Other Fujitsu · Nvidia Fujitsu and Nvidia are partnering with robot manufacturers to build physical AI systems that can perceive and act in the real world. Fujitsu, Nvidia Are Collaborating With Robot OEMs to Develop Physical AI · Assembly Magazine
Other Kewazo Kewazo is among several robotics startups clustered in Houston pursuing physical AI, a growing regional specialization. Kewazo joins wave of robotics companies advancing 'physical AI' in Houston · The Business Journals
Other Agility Robotics · Tesla · Meta · Zoox — Jonathan Hurst, Raj Salwan, Torsten Schreiber Fremont is emerging as a robotics hub where Agility Robotics and competitors like Tesla and DoorDash build humanoid and delivery robots in sprawling factory spaces. This Silicon Valley city is quietly becoming Robot Row. Here's who's clanking around. · Business Insider
Other World Artificial Intelligence Conference — Jared Perlo, Dawn Liu, Erin Tan Hundreds of thousands descended on Shanghai's World Artificial Intelligence Conference to gawk at humanoid robots and dancing machines as China flexes its AI muscles. Inside China’s big AI show: Robot police, dancing humanoids and a roof collapse · NBC News
Other Unitree Unitree, the Chinese robotics manufacturer, explains how it plans to move humanoid robots from lab demonstrations to actual deployment. Unitree's Strategy to Make Humanoid Robots Work - Bismarck Brief · Bismarck Brief
Other BMW BMW is expanding its humanoid robot program beyond manufacturing into warehouse logistics. BMW elevates its AI humanoid robot strategy to include logistics - cio.com · cio.com