A Beijing tech official attempted to ease public concerns regarding artificial intelligence and the uncertainties surrounding job security.
China is accelerating the AI race, with billions in state investment funnelled into robotics and other technologies. The country has been showcasing major developments in humanoid robotics, which has encouraged both government pride and public concern.
China pushes back on AI
A senior Chinese official has assured the public that the country’s rapid development of humanoid robots will not come at the expense of human employment.
The official stated that rather than threatening job security; these machines are being designed to enhance productivity and assist in hazardous or undesirable tasks.
Liang Liang, a deputy director at the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (BDA), which is one of China’s most important tech hubs, made these remarks during an interview with foreign journalists on Friday.
Speaking from the headquarters of X-Humanoid, also known as the Beijing Humanoid Robotics Innovation Centre, Liang spoke of a future in which humans and machines collaborate rather than compete.
“We don’t believe robots will make people unemployed,” Liang said. “Rather, they’ll boost efficiency or take on tasks humans are unwilling to do – like exploring the vast universe or the ocean depths where people can’t go.”
“When it’s nighttime and humans need rest, machines could keep working, giving us better, cheaper, and more user-friendly products. So we see this as the direction for our future development,” he added.
To combat fears that AI might replace human utility or value, Chinese officials have been crafting public narratives centered on cooperation. Last month, Beijing held a robot half-marathon to illustrate a collaborative future between machines and humans.
The marathon featured two tracks separated by a railing, which had human athletes running as usual on one side and 20 teams operating humanoid robots of various sizes and capabilities on the other.
“You see, in the marathon, humans have their track where they push their physical limits, and the machines have their own track where they jointly challenge their limits – but they aren’t trying to take over the human course to sprint to the finish line,” Liang explained. “The future will be like this too.”
Tech innovation is a priority in Beijing
The robot half-marathon also functioned as a display of China’s technological innovations. A particularly notable humanoid at the event was one Tiangong Ultra, a sports-focused humanoid developed by X-Humanoid. Tiangong Ultra took first place among its robotic competitors with its top speed at 12 kilometres per hour (7.56 mph).
At the robotics innovation center, journalists were also shown a range of other prototypes. These included robots designed to perform repetitive tasks while subjected to changing environments and human interference. This aimed to test the humanoids’ skills essential to their success in real-world scenarios like cleaning or delivery.
In one demonstration, an employee repeatedly moved or grabbed a piece of litter that a robot was trying to pick up. In response, the robot would adapt its movement, correct its approach, and complete the task. This adaptive behavior, described as “self-corrective,” is an important capability in the development of humanoid robots intended for day-to-day functional tasks.
Liang pointed out that these kinds of machines could be immensely useful in environments that are either inhospitable or tedious for human workers. While automation is already a part of the manufacturing process, the use of humanoid robots would streamline the process as the robots will work alongside humans without the need for specialized infrastructure.
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