SHENZHEN — China's booming humanoid robotics industry is bracing for a harsh reality check. According to industry projections shared at a recent technology conference in Shenzhen, more than 15% of Chinese humanoid robot manufacturers could face bankruptcy or consolidation over the next three years.

Zheng Liyao, General Manager of market research firm Gaogong Consulting, revealed the sobering outlook at the firm's annual event. While unit shipments are projected to skyrocket past 50,000 this year—nearly tripling the 18,000 units recorded last year—and total market value is expected to top 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion), the underlying fundamentals are showing severe strain.

The Hurdle: Slow Industrial Adoption and Slashed Margins

The primary driver behind the anticipated market correction is a mismatch between manufacturing volume and practical deployment. Analysts note that the vast majority of domestically produced robots remain limited to performing basic, repetitive functions, failing to reach a stable phase of commercial viability.

As a crowded field of over 150 competitors floods the market, supply is vastly outpacing actual industrial demand. This overcapacity has triggered an intense price war, with average selling prices for core components like robot joint modules plunging roughly 30% year-on-year, with further drops anticipated.

Cooling Venture Capital and Regulatory Caution

The lackluster commercial returns have begun to dampen investor appetite. Data from local tech tracker IT Juzi indicates a sharp contraction in the "embodied intelligence" (physical AI) funding landscape. The number of investment deals dropped 45% month-over-month to 33, while total funding fell to 10.105 billion yuan ($1.4 billion). This follows a nearly 40% slump in funding volume in September, signaling a decisive freeze in venture capital momentum.

Simultaneously, Beijing is stepping in to curb systemic financial risks and address social anxieties.

Employment Concerns: The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) announced plans to closely monitor AI's impact on employment structures, seeking to mitigate potential job displacement risks amid lingering youth unemployment and sluggish domestic consumption.
Financial Overheating: The National Financial Regulatory Administration (NFRA) issued warnings that aggressive, lopsided capital allocation into AI and robotics is driving up borrowing costs for traditional sectors.

Outlook for Next Year

Caught between tightening capital markets and prolonged commercialization bottlenecks, experts warn that China's robotics ecosystem is heading toward a painful, large-scale restructuring as early as next year, separating sustainable innovators from speculative players.

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]