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In 2026, embodied AI has been elevated to a national strategic priority. From the Government Work Report to the 15th Five‑Year Plan, from national industry standards to industrial investment funds, policy tailwinds are aligning with technological breakthroughs, moving embodied AI from spontaneous growth to targeted cultivation.

Included in Government Work Report

In 2026, embodied AI was again mentioned in the Government Work Report, alongside future energy, quantum technology, brain‑computer interfaces, and 6G. The report explicitly calls for “cultivating and developing” these future industries. Earlier, at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee in late 2025, embodied AI was already listed as a new growth engine for future industries. This signals that embodied AI is no longer just an academic or industrial curiosity – it is a strategic direction backed by the highest level of government.

First National Industry Standard Released

The lack of standards has long hindered commercialisation of emerging technologies. In 2026, China released its first national standard for humanoid robots, covering safety specifications, performance testing, communication interfaces, and other key requirements. This standard provides a unified benchmark for R&D and production, while also establishing a foundation for China’s voice in international rule‑making.

15th Five‑Year Plan Emphasises Self‑Reliance

In March 2026, Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the Fourth Session of the 14th National People’s Congress, stated that during the 15th Five‑Year Plan period, China will strengthen original innovation and breakthroughs in core technologies – achieving “decisive breakthroughs” across the entire chain. Underlying technologies for embodied AI, such as AI chips, high‑precision sensors, and real‑time operating systems, are prioritised. The clear policy direction is not just to build robots, but to master the full chain of capabilities from “brain” to “joints.”

National Fund Moves In, Infrastructure Accelerates

On the capital front, the National Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund (the “Big Fund”) has for the first time extended its reach into embodied AI, focusing on domestic AI chips and robot‑specific controllers. Meanwhile, on May 22, 2026, Li Chao, Deputy Director of the Policy Research Office at the National Development and Reform Commission, announced that the government will use key embodied AI infrastructure as an entry point to push the field to a higher level – prioritising training infrastructure and application pilot bases to put robots “into factories, into shopping malls, and into homes.”

Policy and Industry in Sync

From central to local governments, from standards to funding, a comprehensive policy package for embodied AI is now in place. Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and other cities have also released local action plans, competing to become innovation hubs for embodied AI.

With clear top‑level design, China’s embodied AI industry is poised for rapid, standardised, and global growth. For the global industrial chain, China is no longer just the largest application market – it is becoming a major pole of rule‑setting and technology export.