At the 2026 World Robot Conference Forum, held in Beijing from August 19 to 22, Wang Qian, founder and CEO of Self-X Robotics, emphasized that open-source initiatives are vital for industry growth in embodied intelligence robotics, extending beyond just technical considerations.

Wang noted that in the language model sector, China has already made significant strides through open-source contributions. However, he clarified that in embodied intelligence, the goal of open-sourcing is not to gain a competitive edge. Compared to other global regions, China's robotics industry is currently at a relatively advanced stage. A year ago, discussions centered on whether the US might lead in model development; today, the two are largely on par, with each excelling in different areas.

"Our primary motivation for embracing open source is to accelerate the pace of industry development," Wang explained. "There is a disconnect between the level of public and global attention and the actual speed of robotics model evolution. Sometimes expectations are overly optimistic—last year, many asked if robots could quickly enter homes within a year. This year, sentiment has swung to pessimism, with some suggesting deployment might take five to ten years."

He added that regardless of how public expectations are managed, the entire industry must collectively strive to accelerate progress, and open-source practices can play a pivotal role in this effort.