According to a recent report, China is aggressively incorporating AI and robotics across its factories and logistics networks to reinforce its position as the world’s manufacturing powerhouse. The shift isn’t futuristic or experimental — many plants are already using what the article calls “AI factory brains” to coordinate robots, manage assembly lines, and optimize workflows.
One striking statistic is China’s sheer scale: last year alone, Chinese factories reportedly installed ~295,000 industrial robots — more than the rest of the world combined. In absolute terms, the total number of robots operating in Chinese industrial sites has crossed the two‑million mark, giving China the largest robot‑driven labor force globally.
The kinds of automation being deployed vary widely. From assembly‑line robots churning out appliances to “dark factories” manufacturing goods in near‑total automation (with minimal human presence), AI-powered robotics now spans mass‑production, logistics, quality control, and even product development. Some factories using AI‑driven processes report dramatic efficiency gains — for example, certain automobile‑parts or appliance factories have switched to logistics robots that handle material movement and packaging tasks automatically.
China’s embrace of robot-driven manufacturing comes at a time when labor costs are rising, population growth is slowing, and global trade pressures are increasing. As a result, automation and AI-driven robotics are now viewed as essential — not optional — for China to maintain its competitive edge in manufacturing. While the transformation raises concerns about job displacement, the official stance frames this as a necessary evolution to “remain invincible” in global industry.
