Xu Xiaolan, a standing committee member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, vice chairwoman of the Central Committee of the China Zhi Gong Party, vice president of the All-China Women's Federation, and president of the Chinese Institute of Electronics, stated at the main forum of the 2026 World Robot Conference, held in Beijing from August 19 to 22, that embodied intelligence has entered a crucial window period for large-scale application.

She noted that embodied intelligence products are currently at a pivotal stage, transitioning from small-batch trials to full-scale deployment. Applications in the livelihood services sector, for instance, are taking the lead in adoption.

First, the penetration of public service and commercial service scenarios is accelerating rapidly. Many urban traffic guidance, scenic area tour guide, shopping mall performance, and education settings are already achieving small-scale applications by leveraging fundamental robot capabilities such as autonomous positioning, dynamic obstacle avoidance, and knowledge-based Q&A.

"Of course, these are only a portion of the scenarios; beyond them, there are numerous others like commerce and logistics. At the World Robot Conferences over the past two years, it is evident that robots are no longer merely showcasing, dancing, or performing. Their dance routines are designed to demonstrate their full range of capabilities, and these abilities are now being deployed across various industries, including scenic areas, transportation, household services, and commercial logistics," she said.