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Funding / China roboticsthe 2nd of November 2026, 11:30 UTC

China robot AI firms raise $13 billion

Chinese companies building AI brains for robots raised about 13 billion dollars in 322 deals in the first half of 2026, Reuters reported. That is five times the year before.

China's robot AI makers

Chinese companies building AI brains for robots raised 93.5 billion yuan in the first half of 2026, Reuters reported on the 2nd of November 2026. That is about 13 billion dollars across 322 deals.

The total was five times the amount of a year earlier, data firm ITjuzi said. Reuters called it an investment boom in embodied AI.

What embodied AI means

Embodied AI is software that lets robots understand the world around them. It helps them learn new jobs without being programmed for each one.

Chinese robot makers have built machines that run, dance and do backflips, Reuters said. Now they want robots that are useful for more jobs.

Brains over bodies

Robot bodies keep getting cheaper as makers compete, Reuters said. One expert said the profit will now come from the robot brain.

Start-ups X Square, Galaxea and Spirit AI are each worth about 3 billion dollars, Reuters said, citing company statements.

A race with the US

US firms such as Physical Intelligence and Skild AI lead in some robot AI, Reuters said. Chinese firms hope their factories and real-world data will help them catch up.

Robot maker UBTech advertised a top AI scientist job paying up to 18 million dollars, Reuters said.

Below we break down the money

13 billion dollars over 322 deals is about 40 million dollars a deal, by our arithmetic. A year earlier the total was about one fifth as large.

Chinese embodied AI funding, first half of twenty twenty six: ninety three point five billion yuan or about thirteen billion dollars across three hundred twenty two deals, five times a year earlier; three start-ups worth about three billion dollars eachChinese embodied AI funding, first half of twenty twenty six: ninety three point five billion yuan or about thirteen billion dollars across three hundred twenty two deals, five times a year earlier; three start-ups worth about three billion dollars each

Key facts

Chinese robot AI firms raised about 13 billion dollars in the first half of 2026.

The money came in 322 deals, ITjuzi said.

That was five times the amount a year earlier.

Three Chinese start-ups are each worth about 3 billion dollars.

Source: Reuters