Tang Li

654030846@qq.com

AT the recently concluded Global AI Terminal Expo 2025 & 6th Shenzhen Global AI Expo (GAIE 2025), Shenzhen EngineAI Robotics Technology Co. Ltd. emerged as the star attraction, showcasing a lineup of five robots that captivated attendees. From lifelike appearances to remarkable agility, EngineAI’s robots perfectly embody the public’s vision of futuristic humanoid machines.

A highlight was the dynamic demonstration of EngineAI’s humanoid robot, PM01. The robot confidently strode across the stage, danced, shook hands with visitors, and posed for photos. Beyond its striking futuristic aesthetics, the fluidity and precision of PM01’s movements impressed experts and audiences alike, showcasing the company’s breakthroughs in embodied artificial intelligence (AI).

Company representative Cen Zibin remarked, “EngineAI is committed to creating globally leading general-purpose humanoid robots and continuously driving revolutionary innovations in embodied intelligence. We hope that in the future, robots will enter thousands of households and deeply integrate into industrial and commercial scenarios.”

From startup to standout

Founded in October 2023, EngineAI focuses on developing versatile AI agents and industry-specific robotic solutions. Zhao Tongyang — founder and CEO of EngineAI and an industry veteran with extensive management experience — has led the team to successfully launch multiple products that are mass produced.

EngineAI’s team is made up of elite talent from top global universities, empowering the firm with comprehensive in-house capabilities spanning core hardware components, advanced neural control algorithms, and embodied AI cognitive systems.

In July 2024, EngineAI launched SA01 EDU, an open-source platform targeting universities and research institutions for secondary development and code verification.

In August 2024, the IP series S2 was unveiled, featuring a unique appearance, primarily aimed at cultural tourism scenarios. In the future, it will incorporate embodied large models to achieve multimodal interaction with humans through language, movements, and more.

In October 2024, the company debuted SE01, a 170cm-tall humanoid robot designed for industrial applications such as material handling and lifting. It features a natural human-like gait powered by end-to-end neural networks.

In December 2024, the lightweight, agile, and fully-open PM01 robot was introduced. Capable of feats such as front flips and sprinting at 12 km/h, it is targeted at the commercial and educational markets. PM01 recently garnered widespread attention after appearing on the streets of Shenzhen.

Additionally, EngineAI showcased their latest quadruped robot, JS01, at GAIE 2025, broadening their product matrix.

“We continuously enrich and improve our product lineup to offer customers more options, from quadrupeds to humanoids and from industrial-grade to service-oriented robots,” said Cen.

Full-stack in-house development

Unlike many domestic competitors, EngineAI’s humanoid robots are noted for their affordability. For instance, the SA01 EDU sells for around 40,000 yuan (US$5,563) on JD.com, while the commercialized version of PM01 is priced under 100,000 yuan. This cost advantage stems from EngineAI’s mastery of full-stack self-development.

Joint actuators, which account for 60-70% of hardware costs, are critical in humanoid robots. EngineAI is one of the world’s few companies capable of developing three types of high-performance power joints — planetary gear, harmonic drive, and planetary linear pushrod systems. Producing these actuators in-house allows the company to drastically reduce prices.

In addition, EngineAI designs and manufactures motors, reducers, servo control units, torque sensors, and communication architectures. In the future, the company plans to develop proprietary vision systems.

Cen explained, “Our fully self-developed core components drastically reduce costs while maximizing performance and efficiency.”

SZ’s ecosystem indispensable

Shenzhen’s robust robotics ecosystem fuels EngineAI’s growth. The city hosts 34 publicly listed robotics companies and nine unicorn firms. Seven Shenzhen companies — supported by over 1,000 related enterprises — made Morgan Stanley’s Global Top 100 Humanoid Robotics Firms list in 2024. Nearly one-quarter of the companies on the list were from the Chinese mainland.

Recently, the authorities released the “Shenzhen Action Plan for Technological Innovation and Industrial Development of Embodied Intelligent Robots (2025-2027)” to accelerate the city’s leadership in embodied AI robotics by nurturing breakthroughs in key components, AI chips, multi-modal sensing, precision control, and dexterous manipulation.

By 2027, the city aims to create more than 10 unicorn firms that collectively generate over 100 billion yuan and launch 50+ applications worth billions each.

The road ahead

2025 marks a year of breakthrough for EngineAI. The company plans to refine its embodied intelligence product series and focus on achieving large-scale commercialization.

Leveraging its strong in-house technology and highly qualified team, EngineAI has attracted significant capital support. In September 2024, the company raised nearly 100 million yuan from Chinese investors. Another 200 million yuan was secured from a Middle East-based fund in February 2025.

The company plans to boost its market presence and brand recognition, aiming to produce and sell over 1,000 robots across all product lines and achieve revenues exceeding 100 million yuan this year.

“Eventually, humanoid robots will be as common as cars, phones, or computers, entering both rural and urban homes. They will be affordable and bring new conveniences, providing companionship and emotional support,” Cen concluded.