China's UBTech launches AI-powered lifelike companion robots
A humanoid robot stands at a UBTECH showroom during a government‑organised media trip in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China, April 16, 2026. REUTERS
Chinese robotics firm UBTech has unveiled a new line of ultra-realistic humanoid robots it says are designed for companionship and emotional support, powered by an AI system capable of recognising and responding to a wide range of human emotions.
The launch on Tuesday has sparked discussion on Chinese social media about the potential rise of AI-powered "cyber boyfriends" and "cyber girlfriends". The robots are available in both male and female versions, with top-end models priced at up to 990,000 yuan ($145,835)
The U1 product line ranges from robotic torsos priced at 119,800 yuan to full-sized humanoid companions featuring highly realistic details such as visible pores, blood vessels and fingerprints.
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The robots are equipped with an emotional large language model UBTech said in a statement was designed for long-term companionship. It said the system can identify more than 20 human emotions with an accuracy rate exceeding 90%.
The humanoids feature expressive faces and lifelike digital skin intended to enhance human-robot interaction.
UBTech said it has received 13,361 orders for the U1 series and aims to complete deliveries within this year.
The company expects China's market for ultra-realistic humanoid robots to expand dramatically over the next decade. The industry "will grow from tens of billions of yuan to trillions of yuan between 2026 and 2036," Tan Min, UBTech's chief branding officer, said.