If fear is that artificial intelligence replaces us, we will have to think about robots first. In particular in Chinese robots. According to the latest report by the International Robotics Federation, China has surpassed the United States and the world in the manufacture and installation of industrial robots.
The Asian giant consolidated his position as power after install almost 300,000 new robots in 2024which raises its total number to more than 2 million. Meanwhile, factories Americans installed only 34,000 robots in that same periodindicating a huge gap in the adoption of this technology. Why this difference? It is largely due to the Chinese government.
Government policies and public capital played a fundamental role in helping Chinese companies increase their dominance in robotics and other industries such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence. The industries obtained almost unlimited loans from state banks at very low interest rates. They also received government funds, help for the purchase of foreign companies and other types of support.
China’s approach to automation is a key element of this initiative. The report also indicated that Chinese factories have installed more than 150,000 robots a year since 2017, demonstrating their one decade initiative. In fact, in 2024 542,000 robots were installed and almost 60% of them in China.
Thus, Chinese factories now They represent a third of all manufactured products worldwide, rather than the United States, Germany, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom together. China’s participation in the world manufacture of robots increased last year to one third of the global offer, in front of a quarter in 2023, according to the Federation. Japan, the previous leader, fell to 29% of the world market from 38% of the previous year.
And while in China the figures rise in four countries, the large ones, the numbers fall compared to 2023: Japan, United States, South Korea and Germany.
Until 2024, China installed more imported robots in its factories than national manufacturing machines. However, last year, three fifths of the total installed robots were manufactured in the country. In general, China has five times more robots working in factories than the United States.
The automation of Chinese factories does not arrive alone. The country has begun to demand more and more experts in robotics, programming and engineering and salaries would be very competitive taking into account the need and growth prospects.