A new training ground for the development of artificial intelligence (AI) robots has opened in southwestern China’s Sichuan province, marking a step forward in the development of the country’s high-tech robotics industry.
Located in Mianyang, the AI robot training ground will operate as a comprehensive platform integrating research and development, validation testing, standard setting, and commercialization.
The project, officially launched on July 18, is a cornerstone of Sichuan’s strategy to build a globally competitive AI robotics cluster in western China, a spokesman for the Sichuan Department of Science and Technology told Xinhua on Tuesday.
Thanks to the rapid development of technologies such as artificial intelligence and large language models, China’s robotics industry is undergoing a rapid transformation from laboratory research to mass production and application.
The industry is expected to see a market boom in the coming years. According to the China Institute of Electronics, the market for humanoid robots in China will reach 870 billion yuan (about 121.74 billion US dollars) by 2030.
The training facility is expected to help address critical challenges facing the development of embodied AI worldwide, including a shortage of real-world training scenarios, insufficient high-quality data, and inadequate testing capabilities in extreme environments.
“This facility functions essentially as a ‘school’ for robots,” the official said.
“It aims to overcome these challenges by creating simulated environments for deep interaction and large amounts of data collection, thereby accelerating robot training, improving algorithms and upgrading capabilities, which is critical for applications in manufacturing, healthcare, urban management and emergency response.
The training ground will follow an operating model with one innovation center focused on core technologies such as system integration, research and development of key components and algorithms, and pilot production.
It will be supported by two dedicated training bases to collect operational data in different environments and enable the deployment of various application scenarios, including advanced manufacturing, emergency response, social services, tourism, and urban management.
The provincial government will allocate a special fund for the development of the training ground, which, according to the plan, will help complete the creation of infrastructure and operational base, attracting more than seven robotics enterprises by the end of 2025.
By 2027, it is planned to unite more than 30 enterprises, promote the application of more than 30 new technologies, and launch more than 10 new robotics products, turning the training center into a leading national platform.
