Shanghai has introduced China’s first governance guidelines for humanoid robots, emphasising risk management and international collaboration.
As reported by the South China Morning Post, the guidelines, revealed during a recent AI conference, mandate that humanoid robots must not jeopardise human safety and must preserve human dignity.
They also require manufacturers to establish risk warning systems, emergency response mechanisms and user training on ethical and legal usage.
The guidelines were developed by five industry organisations, including the Shanghai Law Society, Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Industry Association and the National and Local Humanoid Robot Innovation Centre.
These groups also advocate for a global governance framework and the creation of an international think tank for overseeing humanoid robots.
In addition to this, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) aims for mass production of humanoid robots by 2025 and aspires to lead the global market by 2027.
The MIIT also envisions these robots as crucial economic drivers in sectors like healthcare, home services, agriculture and logistics.
China’s focus on AI and robotics is part of a broader strategy to achieve technological self-sufficiency and outpace global competitors.
National firms have reportedly filed six times more generative AI patents than their US counterparts between 2014 and 2023, according to the World Intellectual Property Organisation.
