Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun said that within five years, the company will deploy humanoid robots on a large scale in its factories. This is a big step toward AI-driven manufacturing, which replaces manual labor with smart automation. This project builds on recent progress, such as AI-powered X-ray inspections in Xiaomi’s EV plants that check die-cast parts in two seconds—ten times faster and more than five times more accurately than people. The move puts Xiaomi in charge of China’s shift from cheap labor to smart factories, which is a trillion-yuan robotics market. ​
Current AI Foundations in Xiaomi’s Manufacturing
Xiaomi’s electric vehicle factory is an example of an early win. Vision-based AI models and X-ray systems work together to find flaws in large die-cast structures, which saves time and eliminates human error. Old inspections relied on subjective judgment, which could lead to inconsistencies. The new system provides accuracy at scale and previews fully automated workflows. Lei stressed how AI has changed from a tool to help people to the heart of production. He urged industries to work together to create ecosystems for shared platforms and partnerships. ​
These upgrades cover Xiaomi’s smartphones, electric vehicles, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. They make things more efficient as labor costs go up. Hiring a former Tesla engineer to work on dexterous-hand robotics speeds up hardware for complicated assembly, which works well with software improvements. ​
Humanoid Robots: Plan for Deployment
In five years, humanoid robots will start doing physical work on assembly floors, like picking, placing, and inspecting. This will be the “first step” before they can be used at home. Factory models put a higher priority on reliability in structured environments, while home models need to be able to adapt to unpredictable settings like kitchens. Xiaomi’s CyberOne robot, which was shown off in 2022, laid the groundwork. Now that AI has made big strides, it can make decisions and move around in real time. ​
Implementation entails phased integration: pilot lines evaluate human collaboration, subsequently achieving complete autonomy through open-source platforms. Lei thinks that households will need more than factories because they need better performance. ​
Technological Enablers That Are Causing the Change
Rapid progress in AI makes humanoid robots possible, and multimodal models can process vision, touch, and motion to move like a person. Xiaomi puts money into systems that go from perception (cameras and sensors) to actuation (servo motors and grippers) and trains them on factory data to make sure they work perfectly. When robots, electric vehicles, and smart homes work together with HyperOS, they all become part of the same ecosystem. ​
Key technologies include edge computing for quick responses and reinforcement learning for adapting tasks, which means less reliance on the cloud. Partnerships deal with problems that one company can’t solve on its own. ​
Problems and Strategic Solutions
Humanoid robots are hard to use because they are expensive (over $50,000 per unit), they need to be safe in areas where humans and robots work together, and they need to be able to do tasks that aren’t structured. Xiaomi fights back with iterative pilots, lobbying for regulations, and stealing talent from Tesla. China’s policy push for smart manufacturing gives out subsidies in order to keep its global advantages. ​
Millions of people are worried about losing their jobs because of ethical issues. Lei suggests retraining people for oversight roles. Scalability tests battery life (2–4 hours current limit) and maintenance in 24/7 operations. ​
The global picture and the effects on the industry
Xiaomi is now in the humanoid race with Tesla (Optimus), Boston Dynamics, and Figure AI, but it is focusing on factories first to get a faster return on investment. China’s dominance—80% of global robot installations—makes the threat to labor models around the world even worse. Analysts say that by 2035, the humanoid market will be worth $38 billion, with manufacturing taking up 40% of that. ​
If successful, Xiaomi could cut the cost of its electric vehicles by 20–30%, making it more competitive with BYD. A broader ripple: bringing jobs back home through automation and making the supply chain more resilient. ​
Future Beyond Factories: Home and Ecosystem Play
After the factory, Xiaomi wants to make consumer robots that can do chores, care for the elderly, and keep people company. They want to do this by building on their reputation for making affordable tech. Robots become centers for AI services when they are connected to Xiaomi’s ecosystem of phones and appliances. Lei sees a trillion-yuan scale that combines industrial strength with ease of use at home. ​
By 2030, 10% of Chinese homes will have Xiaomi humanoids, and they will be sold around the world. This plan speeds up “Industry 5.0,” in which people design things and robots carry them out. ​
Xiaomi’s bold timeline shows that robotics is at a turning point in manufacturing, promising big jumps in efficiency while pushing workers to change.
