The rise of humanoid robots is accelerating — and nowhere is that more visible than in China.

Razor's Reya El-Salahi travels from Shenzhen to Hangzhou to Shanghai to explore the next generation of humanoid robots that are learning to operate in a world designed for humans. These machines can walk, balance, recover from punches, fold clothes, restock supermarket shelves, and even hold delicate objects with five-fingered hands equipped with tactile sensors.

The journey begins in Shenzhen, often called China's Silicon Valley, where a groundbreaking robot 6S store introduces the public to consumer-ready humanoids. Dr. Liu Shaoshan, Director of Embodied Artificial Intelligence at the Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society, explains that the humanoid form fits across many sectors and is therefore key to achieving true large-scale production. He adds that China's electric vehicle supply chain gives the country a unique edge in robotics development.

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In Hangzhou, we visit Unitree Robotics, whose humanoids have stunned global audiences, including at Beijing's 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games. We test their balance systems in a boxing match that reveals how robots train under stress to safely operate around humans.

Finally, in Shanghai, we gain rare access to the training facilities of AgiBot Here, we witness embodied intelligence in action: teleoperators using VR to teach robots through real-world data collection, foundation models that enable few-shot learning, and the development of advanced robotic hands which is a major step toward human-level dexterity.

Beyond the spectacle, this film asks deeper questions.
What happens when robots can work 24/7 with perfect consistency?
Will they transform productivity or redefine what it means to be human?
And when humanoids finally enter our homes, will they feel like tools… or something more?

The age of embodied AI has begun. The only question left is how quickly it becomes part of everyday life.