Chinese humanoid robot makers are widening their lead over global rivals, accounting for more than 97 percent of worldwide shipments in the first half of 2026, according to market research firm Smart Analytics Global.

A robot from Chinese company AgiBot is displayed during the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the United States, Jan 6, 2026. (Photo: Xinhua)

Chinese robotics company AgiBot overtook Unitree Robotics for the first time to become the world's largest humanoid robot supplier by shipments. AgiBot shipped about 8,400 units, capturing 44 percent of the global market, while Unitree delivered about 5,900 units.

Their shipment volumes were well ahead of overseas rivals including Tesla and Figure AI, underscoring China's early advantage in turning advances in embodied artificial intelligence into robots that can be mass produced and deployed at scale.

The research firm said that global humanoid robot shipments reached about 19,100 units in the first six months of the year, nearly tripling from the same period a year earlier.