More Robots Getting Factory Jobs in China: "Frequent Unplanned Absences and Still No Match for Skilled Workers' Expertise"

Humanoid Robots: The Final Piece for Fully Unmanned Garment Production
"Robot Efficiency Only 20–30% That of Humans"
"More Time Needed to Catch Up with Skilled Workers"

This year, news of humanoid robots "getting factory jobs" in China has been pouring in, attracting significant attention.

On June 8, China National Radio (CNR) reported, "At factories in the Guangzhou area, humanoid robots are attaching shipping labels to parcels and then sorting them," adding, "The era of robots clocking in at factories is approaching."

A humanoid robot from Taiwan is holding a box. Not related to the article. Photo by AFP Yonhap News.

Growing Number of Chinese Companies Deploying Robots

A Chinese sewing equipment company recently ordered 2,000 humanoid robots. Electric vehicle manufacturer BYD announced that it would deploy 20,000 units of its self-developed robot, Yaoshunyu, on its production lines. In addition, many other Chinese companies are currently testing robots for deployment in their factories. According to reports, Unitree Robotics (Yushukeji Co., Ltd.) began assigning robots to handling and transportation tasks at its factories starting in 2024. In many factories across China, robots are now responsible for simple tasks such as sorting and assembling parts.

In response to these changes, the CEO of Chinese company Aitu stated, "The biggest concern for Chinese garment factories these days is finding automation technology that can replace human workers." The CEO explained that, since there are few young people willing to work in factories, humanoid robots have emerged to meet this replacement demand. Although sewing equipment has become increasingly smart over the past several decades, skilled workers’ tasks still require human hands. The media described humanoid robots as "the final piece of the puzzle for unmanned garment production."

Lv Miao, Director of the Zhejiang Tsinghua New Economic Development Research Center, analyzed, "Deploying robots in factories is a response to the era of population decline," adding, "It is a way to operate a system that can flexibly and stably produce uniform quality."

Robots on the Job, but Frequent Unplanned Absences

Humanoid robot appearing at the Beijing Innovation Center. Not related to specific article content. Photo by AP Yonhap News.

The CEO of a Chinese factory told the media, "Currently, robots can only perform simple tasks such as loading and unloading, so their work efficiency is just 20–30 percent that of humans," adding, "It will take more time for robots to catch up with skilled workers." Additionally, each process often requires changing robot components, which is another inconvenience. The ultimate goal is to complete all processes without swapping parts and to achieve a fully autonomous 'AI tailor' that can operate sewing machines independently.

The media also reported that teaching robots to adapt to factory environments is not an easy process. As a result, robots deployed to worksites frequently "call in sick" as groups and head to repair centers. Professor Tan Dafeng, from the School of Mechanical Engineering at Zhejiang University of Technology, emphasized that humanoid robots must overcome challenges in autonomy, stability, and exception handling. He explained, "Even tightening a single screw is basic for humans, but adjusting for a screw thread facing the opposite direction or compensating for a screw that is slightly defective in size by feel is still a difficult stage for robots."

According to data released by China, funding for humanoid and smart robots in the Chinese market surpassed 30 billion yuan (about 6.7 trillion won) in the first quarter of this year, marking a new historical high. The Chinese government has indicated its goal of achieving large-scale industrialization of humanoid robots by next year.Support measures—including municipal subsidies, order volumes, and regulatory easing—are being rolled out in regions such as Shanghai and Guangdong to accelerate the "factory employment" of robots.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.