{"slug": "chinas-lifelike-emotional-companion-bots-go-on-sale", "title": "China’s Lifelike Emotional Companion Bots Go on Sale", "summary": "Chinese robotics company UBTech has begun presales for its U1 humanoid robot, marketed as the world's first full-size, ultra-bionic emotional companion, with approximately 3,000 units sold since the June 2 announcement. The robot, available in male and female models with customizable features and affective AI, requires a refundable 3,000 yuan deposit ahead of its official online release on June 30. The launch underscores China's dominance in humanoid robotics, where domestic manufacturers produced about 90% of the 13,000 to 16,000 units shipped globally last year, as annual sales of Chinese-made models are projected to more than double to 28,000 units in 2024.", "body_md": "[NEWS](/features/26166/news?source=normal_article)\n\n### China’s Lifelike Emotional Companion Bots Go on Sale\n\n[Jiang Xinyi](/users/1010512/jiang-xinyi?source=normal_article)\n\nChinese robotics company UBTech has begun presales for what it calls the world’s “first full-size, ultra-bionic” humanoid robot designed for emotional companionship. Around 3,000 units have been sold so far.\n\nAnnounced June 2, presales of the robot model, called the “U1,” will run through July 15 and require customers to put down a refundable deposit of 3,000 yuan ($440). The official online release is scheduled for June 30. The company has not yet disclosed the full retail price.\n\nThe U1 comes in two models: a male version standing 183 centimeters tall and weighing 42 kilograms, and a female version 168 centimeters tall and weighing 35.2 kilograms. Both support customization and are available only to adult buyers.\n\nThe U1 is equipped with 88 “highly mobile” joints, encrypted memory storage, and affective AI. They support Wi-Fi connectivity and charging, with a battery life of two to four hours per charge.\n\nChina is the world leader in humanoid robotics, with annual sales of domestically produced models expected to more than double to around 28,000 units this year — exceeding any other economy, according to Morgan Stanley. Of the 13,000 to 16,000 humanoid robots shipped globally last year, about 90% were made by Chinese manufacturers. Most international competitors remain at the prototype stage.\n\n“I think that in 10 or 20 years, the next generation may fall in love with humanoid robots,” Zhou Jian, UBTech’s founder and CEO, told domestic business outlet LatePost.\n\nHowever, he added that UBTech does not want to “simply make a sex robot,” but rather a companion that “won’t tell you that you’re annoying,” will “stay with users whatever they are doing,” and “play games and watch TV dramas with you.”\n\nOther companies have also gained attention for their lifelike robots. Since 2023, EX Robots, based in northeastern Liaoning province, has made headlines for its humanoid androids modeled on figures such as the Tang-dynasty poet [Li Bai](https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1018506) and Albert Einstein. According to domestic media, the robots are mainly used in science museums and tourist attractions.\n\nIn May, Beijing-based Noetix Robotics unveiled its latest humanoid robot in the form of a woman’s bust, priced at 99,900 yuan. Marketing materials for the robot outline its conversational and emotional abilities.\n\nAt this year’s Spring Festival Gala, China’s most-watched television program, four Chinese robotics companies [showcased ](https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1018219)their humanoid robot technologies through martial arts performances, comedy sketches, dances, and household tasks. In April, a Chinese robot [broke ](https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1018442)the men’s half-marathon world record in Beijing.\n\nExperts [say ](https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1018218)the next stage of development is expected to focus on practical applications in factories and homes.\n\nHumanoid robot prices have fallen from several million yuan per unit a few years ago to between ten thousand and several hundred thousand yuan per unit today. UBTech’s Walker series, released in 2018 and mainly designed for industrial applications, costs around 6 million yuan per unit, while Noetix Robotics’ Bumi and Unitree’s R1 Air, both aimed at entry-level consumers and released last year, are priced at 9,998 yuan and 29,900 yuan, respectively.\n\n*Editor: Marianne Gunnarsson.*\n\n*(Header image: Screenshots from the* *promotional video for UBTech's U1 robot. From Weibo)*", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chinas-lifelike-emotional-companion-bots-go-on-sale", "canonical_source": "https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1018634/China’s Lifelike Emotional Companion Bots Go on Sale", "published_at": "2026-06-11 18:39:46.947474+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-06-11 18:39:50.740212+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["robotics", "artificial-intelligence", "ai-products", "ai-startups"], "entities": ["UBTech", "U1", "Morgan Stanley", "Jiang Xinyi"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chinas-lifelike-emotional-companion-bots-go-on-sale", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chinas-lifelike-emotional-companion-bots-go-on-sale.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chinas-lifelike-emotional-companion-bots-go-on-sale.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chinas-lifelike-emotional-companion-bots-go-on-sale.jsonld"}}