What's special about Jack Ma's company's first humanoid robot?

DNVN - Ant's difference from many competitors lies in its strategy of focusing on developing the "brain" for robots instead of just focusing on hardware.

Ant Group, the financial technology company backed by Jack Ma, just introduced the humanoid robot R1 for the first time at a conference in Shanghai on September 11. This event marked a new step in the Chinese entrepreneur's ambition in the global artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics race.

Ant Group is betting big on making humanoid robots a part of everyday life.

Robbyant - a unit of Ant Group - is the developer of R1. The robot is designed to take on many roles, from tour guide, drug classification, basic medical advice to assisting with household kitchen tasks. Adding a humanoid robot to its product portfolio shows that Ant wants to compete directly with large technology corporations, especially market leaders such as Tesla (USA).

What sets Ant apart from many of its competitors is its strategy of focusing on developing the “brain” for robots rather than just focusing on hardware. “If used in the home, robots will not only do housework but also act as super-intelligent brains, tapping into cloud-based AI power to solve many more needs,” said Mr. Zhu Xing, CEO of Robbyant.

In the context that China already has a higher rate of industrial robots per capita than both the US and Japan, promoting the development of humanoid robots is seen as a step to bring this technology into more complex jobs, not just stopping at the production line.

Ant Group, best known for Alipay, China’s largest e-payment platform, has in recent years focused heavily on AI, developing a large language model called BaiLing and experimenting with training it on low-cost domestic semiconductors to reduce its reliance on international supplies.

Analysts say Ant’s success will depend on more than just its ability to produce robots. Hardware production can be outsourced, but “developing a robust and scalable AI model is key,” said Andy Mok, a senior fellow at the Center for China and Globalization.

The launch of R1 shows that Ant Group is betting big on making humanoid robots an essential part of everyday life, while asserting its position in the increasingly fierce global technology competition.

Nguyen Bach

Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/cong-nghe/robot-hinh-nguoi-dau-tien-cua-cong-ty-jack-ma-co-gi-dac-biet/20250912090627210