Shanghai Electric has introduced a broad range of embodied intelligence solutions designed for advanced manufacturing environments, where operations frequently require precision work in confined spaces, intricate assemblies, and consistent high-accuracy performance. The company unveiled its latest innovations during the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance (WAIC 2026).

Under the theme "AI for All: Smart Squad, Shining Without Limits," Shanghai Electric presented a comprehensive ecosystem encompassing embodied AI robots, core robotic components, and AI-native smart factory technologies. The showcase highlighted the company's capabilities across complete robotic systems, critical hardware, industrial software, and intelligent manufacturing infrastructure.

"Embodied intelligence delivers its greatest value when it understands real industrial challenges. By combining the power, accuracy, and reliability of machines with human expertise and decision-making, we can create a new era of machine-assisted, human-machine collaboration," said Wang Chunlei, Deputy General Manager of the Robotics Business Unit at Shanghai Electric Automation Group.

Shanghai Electric's robotics portfolio is built around five major industrial applications: connector insertion, electrical operations, flexible sorting, intelligent assembly, and pipe processing. Key innovations include:

The company also displayed a range of advanced robotic components spanning power transmission systems to end-effectors. Among the featured technologies were a planetary roller screw capable of handling more than three times the load of conventional ball screws and the DexHand dexterous robotic hand, developed to support complex gripping and manipulation tasks.

Expanding its AI capabilities, Shanghai Electric introduced 51 AI models and intelligent agents under its "StarCloud Intelligent Manufacturing" platform. These solutions support research and development, manufacturing, and operations and maintenance, with applications including production process optimization and wind power equipment maintenance.

Integrated into robotic control systems and AI-native factory operations, these industrial AI agents convert manufacturing expertise into reusable digital capabilities. They enable intelligent production scheduling, automated quality inspection, and predictive maintenance, helping manufacturers transition from experience-based decision-making to data-driven operations.

During the event, Shanghai Electric also released its "AI-Native Smart Factory Technology White Paper," outlining an architecture that enables continuous, real-time optimization of production processes through closed-loop data management. The framework is designed to give factories autonomous perception, decision-making, and execution capabilities.

Built on first-principles engineering, the AI-native smart factory architecture unifies production workflows, industrial software, AI agents, and intelligent equipment while eliminating traditional operational silos. The framework consists of three foundational layers: an AI factory brain serving as the central control hub, industrial agents and embodied robots forming the execution layer, and a physical twin that functions as the factory's digital mirror.

Drawing on its extensive industrial expertise and integrated technology portfolio, Shanghai Electric aims to accelerate the adoption of AI across manufacturing environments, address the technical complexities of embodied intelligence in demanding industrial applications, expand the deployment of AI-native smart factories, and provide scalable solutions that can be replicated across a wide range of manufacturing sectors.

Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science & Technology Co., Ltd. drew significant interest at KOMATEK 2026 in Istanbul with the introduction of its humanoid robot, Z01. While the company showcased more than 40 advanced construction equipment products and secured orders worth over RMB 1 billion, the Z01 robot became one of the exhibition's standout attractions.

Developed for industrial assistance, intelligent navigation, and educational use cases, the bipedal robot demonstrated smooth mobility and precise task execution throughout the event. In a live presentation, Z01 performed a Tai Chi sequence, highlighting its sophisticated motion-control systems, balance capabilities, and interactive human-robot functionality, attracting considerable attention from visitors.

The unveiling of Z01 reflects Zoomlion's increasing focus on embodied artificial intelligence, which the company views as a key pillar of its future growth strategy alongside its existing businesses.

Zoomlion's position in embodied AI is supported by its long-standing investments in digital technologies. As one of the first construction machinery manufacturers in China to embrace industrial IoT solutions, the company has established a strong technological foundation through Zvalley, its AI-driven industrial internet platform, backed by a team of nearly 1,300 research and technical specialists.

Beginning in 2024, the company intensified its efforts in embodied AI by leveraging its expertise in both hardware and software development. This has led to the creation of an integrated technology ecosystem encompassing robotic hardware, critical components, motion and decision-control systems, and supporting software platforms. At the same time, AI and robotics innovations are being incorporated into Zoomlion's construction, agricultural, and mining equipment operations to accelerate intelligent automation.

By the close of 2025, Zoomlion had produced eight embodied AI robot prototypes spanning four primary categories, including both humanoid and wheeled robotic platforms. These systems have undergone testing in operational environments within Zoomlion Smart City, where they have been deployed for tasks such as material handling, facility inspections, loading and unloading operations, component pre-assembly, and quality control. The practical experience gained from these applications has generated valuable data and insights to support future commercial expansion.

Earlier in 2026, at Hannover Messe 2026, Zoomlion presented Robot Ops, its embodied AI development platform, and demonstrated coordinated workflows involving humanoid and logistics robots. The showcase illustrated the company's progress in translating embodied AI from research environments into industrial applications, with particular emphasis on adaptability, autonomous operation, and collaboration between multiple robotic systems.

Today, embodied AI robots are already supporting a range of manufacturing activities within Zoomlion Smart City. The company continues to pursue an industrially focused approach to embodied intelligence, prioritizing practical applications and foundational capability building. Through the development of comprehensive industrial data resources and engineering-driven robot design and manufacturing processes, Zoomlion aims to enable large-scale adoption of embodied AI technologies across diverse industries.