Jack Ma’s Ant Group Unveils R1 Humanoid Robot – China’s Answer to Tesla Optimus?
Ant Group, the company backed by Jack Ma and best known for Alipay, has unveiled its first humanoid robot, the R1. The announcement highlights China’s growing ambitions to compete with the United States in advanced robotics and artificial intelligence.
The R1 humanoid robot was demonstrated at the 2025 Inclusion Conference in Shanghai. The robot can serve as a tour guide, sort medicine in pharmacies, provide medical consultations, and perform basic kitchen tasks. At the IFA tech show in Berlin, R1 even cooked shrimp for the audience. These demonstrations showcase its versatility in both healthcare and hospitality.
Ant’s approach emphasizes artificial intelligence as much as mechanical design. The company is developing large AI models, including one called BaiLing, to give R1 the ability to recognize objects, plan tasks, and adapt to new situations. The goal is to move beyond robots that simply follow instructions, toward robots that can make decisions in complex real-world environments.
However, the robot is still at an early stage. Ant has not announced a price or a launch date, and current trials are limited to community centers and restaurants. Videos from demonstrations show that R1 is still slow and cautious, and it remains to be seen how it will perform outside controlled environments. The project puts Ant in direct competition with Tesla’s Optimus and other humanoid robots being developed in the United States
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