Beyond China's humanoid robots, a quieter machine revolution is unfolding
China is aggressively expanding its industrial automation sector through massive investment in vocational training and robotics. The country aims to lead the global AI and robotics market, significantly impacting the future of manufacturing.
Why it matters
China's rapid shift toward automation highlights a major geopolitical and economic shift that could reshape global supply chains and labor markets.
Figure caption, Watch: BBC visits factories in China with robot workers
"I take a nap and the world changes," says Chen Tianyu.
His world certainly does. The 28-year-old keeps up with the latest technology by spending his spare time in factories that are switching to automation. That way he knows what to prioritise when teaching his class about artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.
In front of him, around 30 college students are studying code. One of them is typing furiously as his eyes dart from the screen to the robot: "The idea is it will grab that cylindrical piece and move it over there."
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