China's humanoid robots are stealing the show, but a quieter machine revolution is unfolding
China is aggressively expanding its industrial automation sector as part of a $20 billion government initiative to lead in global innovation. Vocational schools are training a new generation of engineers to operate the millions of robots currently being deployed in Chinese factories.
Why it matters
China's rapid scaling of robotics and AI integration is positioning the country as a dominant force in global manufacturing and technological competition.
Share Save Add as preferred on Google Laura Bicker China correspondent, Beijing, Hangzhou and Chengdu 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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