Nvidia scientist praises Chinese humanoid robot, stoking interest

Shenzhen-based Engine AI hopes to capitalise on new-found interest in its human-shaped robots by lowering prices amid intense industry competition

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Shenzhen-based Engine AI hopes lower prices of its humanoid robots will help it beat out the competition in China. Photo: Handout

Published: 9:00pm, 13 Jan 2025

A Shenzhen-based robotics company, whose new humanoid robot model has drawn praise from an Nvidia scientist, is hoping a lower price will help it win in the intense industry competition in China, where firms face monetisation challenges.

A video of a humanoid robot made by Chinese start-up Engine AI has been circulating online after Jim Fan, a senior research scientist at US chip giant Nvidia, posted it on the social media platform X, asking, “Is this real?”

Fan, who also leads Nvidia’s AI Agents Initiative, said he had seen posts of “very natural humanoid walking gaits” from the Chinese company, but added that it was hard to tell if the new clip was generated by artificial intelligence (AI).

“Walking gait’s got swag but we need these robots to go firefighting [as soon as possible],” Fan wrote after confirming the authenticity of the video.

Engine AI first posted the video of its SE01 robot attracting attention from onlookers to Chinese social media platforms last week. Photo: Handout

Engine AI originally posted the video last week on Chinese social media platforms, showing the robot, called SE01, walking at a commercial complex and attracting onlookers.

The Shenzhen-based firm announced SE01 last October, positioning it as an industrial and home robot. Standing at 170cm tall, the robot can perform human movements including squats, push-ups, walking in circles and grabbing objects, and is designed to last for more than 10 years, the company said.