CAST Newsletter No. 57 2025 World Robot Conference opens in Beijing
From August 8 to 12, the 2025 World Robot Conference (WRC 2025) was held in Beijing. Jointly hosted by the Chinese Institute of Electronics (CIE) and the World Robot Cooperation Organization (WRCO), the event carried the theme “Making Robots Smarter, Making Embodied Agents More Intelligent.” Its main forum focused on three topics: industry development, technological innovation, and ecosystem building. More than 400 leading scientists, representatives of international organizations, academy members, and entrepreneurs from around the world gathered to share insights on frontier technologies, industry trends, application practices, and innovation outcomes through keynote speeches, high-level dialogues, and live demonstrations.
At the opening ceremony, CAST President Wan Gang highlighted China’s progress in robotics over the past decade, particularly since the launch of the New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan. He noted that innovation capacity and industrial strength have steadily advanced, guided by the strategy of “empowering the real economy and supporting social development.” Wan emphasized that humanoid robots, as the advanced form of robotics and a vital carrier of embodied intelligence, are playing an increasingly important role in manufacturing, logistics, security, household services, education, and healthcare. He underscored China’s commitment to developing this frontier technology to stimulate new consumption, foster emerging industries, create jobs, drive economic growth, and enhance public well-being. Concluding his remarks, Wan expressed hope that WRC would serve as a platform for exchanging ideas, building consensus, strengthening cooperation, and shaping a brighter future for intelligent technologies.
On behalf of the organizers, WRCO President Qiao Hong unveiled 10 Trends in Embodied Intelligent Robots (2025). The report systematically reviewed technological advances, industrial applications, and ecosystem development, outlining the future landscape of embodied intelligent robots across ten dimensions, including perception and cognition, decision-making, intelligent control, and robot design.
The conference also released, via video, the report Top 10 Potential Application Scenarios for Humanoid Robots (2025). Compiled by CIE with input from leading experts, the report identifies promising areas such as general industrial operations, automotive manufacturing, 3C manufacturing, shipbuilding, and petro- chemicals. It provides a roadmap for advancing humanoid robot technology and accelerating industrial deployment, injecting new momentum into a wide range of sectors.
Adding to the highlights, the world’s first comprehensive robot ecosystem platform, Robot World 2.0, officially opened in Beijing E-Town. Compared with the earlier 1.0 version, Robot World 2.0 introduces two innovative consumer formats: the world’s first 4S store for embodied intelligent robots and a themed “Robot Restaurant.” Serving as core platforms, these initiatives link more than 300 robotics companies in the area, along with the Beijing Innovation Center of Humanoid Robotics and other major projects, to create a new global landmark for the robotics industry that integrates exhibition, trade, application, and immersive experience.
Humanoid robot technology is advancing at a rapid pace, with products iterating quickly and moving from the laboratory into real-world applications, revealing enormous potential. At WRC 2025, the Chinese Institute of Electronics (CIE) unveiled Top 10 Potential Application Scenarios for Humanoid Robots, a report offering a forward-looking view of how these robots may be deployed across diverse industries.
The ten scenarios identified are: general industrial operations: loading, unloading, and material handling; automotive manufacturing: sorting and material allocation; 3C manufacturing: material quality inspection; shipbuilding: grinding and polishing; petrochemical industry: production line inspection; power generation: power plant operations; emergency response: disaster relief and safety rescue; commercial services: reception and interactive services; home services: daily assistance, companion-ship, and care; and agricultural production: precision field operations.
“Humanoid robots will become a key driver of industrial upgrading and an essential support for addressing the challenges of an aging society,” said CIE President Xu Xiaolan when presenting the report. Xu noted that the field is achieving breakthroughs on multiple fronts and advancing through coordinated innovation, with both industry and applications showing strong momentum. The sector has entered a fast track that moves from technological breakthroughs to capital investment and on to scenario deployment. Leveraging their unique strengths, humanoid robots are poised to deliver transformative impacts across industries and usher in a new era of human-machine collaboration.
For detailed information, please click here to download CAST Newsletter No. 57.
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