China’s Embodied AI

This issue brief examines how China is advancing embodied AI—artificial intelligence integrated with physical systems like robots, drones, and vehicles—as a strategic pathway toward artificial general intelligence. It contrasts China’s approach with Western reliance on large language models, highlighting national policies, research centers, and real-world deployments that emphasize interaction between AI, the physical environment, and human activity. The report also explores how this strategy supports both economic integration and long-term national objectives. Together, it offers insight into how embodied AI is reshaping global competition in advanced technology.