What’s Scarier Than a Robot That Jumps 2 Meters? Uncovering Unitree’s True Competitive Edge at a Local Factory [Report]

On-Site Visits to Major Chinese Robot Headquarters

Unitree to List on Chinese Stock Market on August 19; Aegibot Also Pursuing IPO

Unitree Unveils Robot That Jumps and Runs as Fast and High as Humans

At Aegibot's Data Center, Hundreds

Unitree unveiled a video of its robot "Superman," which can perform stationary jumps up to 2 meters high, on the 17th, two days before its listing. The company stated that the robot was developed in just three months. Source=Unitree YouTube

On the eve of the stock market listing of Unitree, a Chinese robotics company, what struck me most during a direct visit to Chinese robotics firms was not their robots' jumping, dancing, or running abilities. Rather, it was the speed at which they mass-produce robots, make them operational, and then feed the resulting data back into artificial intelligence (AI). If Unitree enters the capital market leveraging its hardware mass production capabilities and profitability, the Chinese robotics industry is likely to accelerate both data acquisition and technological development based on this foundation.

"You are not allowed to take photos here."

This was the first request made when, on the 17th, the fifth group of Seoul National University's AI CEO course participants entered Aegibot's data collection center in Shanghai, China. Inside the large facility, hundreds of robots were deployed by zone. The robots continuously repeated the tasks of picking up, transporting, and setting down objects.

When a human controlled arms and hands via remote devices, the robot mimicked the movements, and the process became data. It was the first time I had witnessed a facility that brought together robots of this scale to generate behavioral data onsite.

The robots were learning tasks ranging from folding clothes and pouring tea to logistics and even jobs required on manufacturing sites. There were also spaces replicating homes and convenience stores. A representative from Aegibot explained, "We sometimes produce and supply data according to customer requests for specific tasks."

The work of labeling—refining and processing the collected data—was also underway. According to the representative, "About two-thirds of the staff are dedicated to data training, while one-third focuses on selecting only the highest quality data through labeling." Several hundred people were dedicated to advancing the intelligence of the robots inside this building alone.

While generative AI and large language models (LLMs) learn from online text and images, physical AI—machines moving in the real world—requires something different. For example, determining the proper grip strength for a cup or adjusting the strength of fingers and arms to catch an item that slips from the hand is difficult to learn from internet data alone.

A robot from Aejibot is packing a smartphone into a box based on the information it has learned. Photo by Paek Jongmin, Tech Specialist

During demonstrations, there were instances where robots failed to properly pick up objects they encountered for the first time, indicating insufficient training data for those particular items. These trial-and-error moments are also accumulated as video data through cameras attached to robot arms. Aegibot is also focused on developing various types of robotic hands and grippers and even has a subsidiary specializing exclusively in hands.

The competition in Chinese physical AI witnessed onsite had moved beyond a simple "robot numbers game." The more robots are produced and trained, the more real-world data is generated, and the more data accumulates, the smarter the AI becomes. Participants were amazed at how much a company founded in 2023 had grown to this scale. Many commented that it would have been impossible without the support of both central and local governments in China.

This remarkable growth in the Chinese robotics industry is now expanding into the capital markets through Unitree's stock listing. Unitree, scheduled for listing on the 19th, set its offering price at 150.8 yuan per share and raised 6.1 billion yuan. Based on the IPO price, the company is valued at about 61 billion yuan, which is approximately 12.8 trillion won.

Unitree, the top player in China's robotics sector, is well-known for its quadruped robots and dancing humanoids. While Aegibot is focused on acquiring behavioral data and AI training, Unitree's strength lies in mass production and commercialization of robotic hardware. This suggests that China is rapidly expanding its robotics ecosystem on both the hardware and data fronts.

As of the 14th, Rainbow Robotics—South Korea's leading robotics company—had a market capitalization of 9.7193 trillion won. If Unitree's stock price increases post-listing, the gap could become even wider. Last year, Rainbow Robotics recorded revenue of 34.1 billion won and an operating loss of 2.48 billion won, while Unitree reported sales of around 358.8 billion won and net profit of about 124.2 billion won.

South Korean conglomerates are also taking action. In one display case at the Aegibot showroom, a photo was hung of the "LG Electronics and Aegibot Strategic Business Agreement (MOU) Signing Ceremony." This scene suggests that Aegibot attaches considerable significance to its partnership with LG Electronics.

Samsung Electronics also became the largest shareholder of Rainbow Robotics after investing 86.8 billion won in 2023 and increasing its stake to 35% by exercising a call option from an initial 14.7%. The company plans to combine Rainbow Robotics' robotic technology with Samsung's AI and software capabilities to develop intelligent humanoids.

The major variable is the United States. Last month, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) added advanced robots produced in foreign countries to its list of equipment posing national security concerns, including humanoids and quadruped robots. This move is clearly aimed at China's rapidly growing robotics sector. In 2025, Unitree generated 13.3% of its total revenue from the U.S. market.

Paradoxically, this could present an opportunity for South Korea. If Korean robotics companies can catch up with China's advantages in mass production, pricing, and data, while also meeting the U.S. requirements for supply chains and data security, then Korean robots could emerge as alternatives to Chinese products.

Robot expert Jang Byung-tak, a professor at Seoul National University, stated, "We need to leverage our advantage of having large amounts of data from the manufacturing sector." Yoo Byung-jun, professor at the Seoul National University Business School, emphasized, "The human labor involved in training robots is also important," highlighting the emergence of new job opportunities in this field.

The final stop on the tour, as expected, was dance. Aegibot's robots delighted the attendees with flashy dance moves and wushu performances. On the evening of the 17th, when the participants returned to Korea, Unitree unveiled its "Superstar" bipedal robot, capable of jumping two meters in place and reaching a top running speed of 12.66 meters per second—a clear expression of confidence ahead of its stock market debut.

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