Beijing has just unveiled a groundbreaking robot store that offers more than 100 cutting-edge products, ranging from mechanical butlers and robot dogs to lifelike humanoid replicas of Albert Einstein.
Launched on Friday in the heart of the Chinese capital, this robotics retail hub is among the first in China to sell both consumer-focused robots and advanced humanoid robots directly to the public. The store has been compared to a car dealership—offering not only robot sales but also spare parts, maintenance services, and technical support.
China has been making massive investments in AI technology and the robotics industry to tackle challenges like a slowing economy and an aging population. “If we want robots in thousands of households, we can’t just rely on robotics companies alone,” explained store director Wang Yifan in an interview with Reuters.
Prices for these next-generation machines start at 2,000 yuan (about $278) and can soar to several million yuan for highly sophisticated models. Visitors can interact with a wide range of robots, including chess-playing machines and robotic pets. A dedicated section also offers robot repair services and replacement parts.
The robot mall is connected to a themed restaurant where food is cooked by a mechanical chef and served by robot waiters—turning dining into a full AI-powered experience.
China has prioritized robotics development at an unprecedented scale, providing over $20 billion in subsidies last year alone. The government is also preparing a 1 trillion yuan AI and robotics innovation fund to accelerate industry growth.
The grand opening coincides with the Global Robotics Conference, a five-day event in Beijing featuring over 1,500 exhibitions from more than 200 robotics companies worldwide. The city is also set to host the first-ever World Humanoid Robot Games from August 14 to 17, where teams from over 20 countries will compete in events like track and field, robot dance, and robot football.
With AI-powered humanoid robots now stepping out of science fiction and into everyday life, Beijing’s new robot store signals a bold leap into the future of intelligent machines and smart living.
