As China opens new stores, life-like robots for sale to the public

A new robot shop has opened in Beijing, selling everything from mechanical butlers to human-like replicas of Albert Einstein.

More than 100 different products will be sold at the robot mall, which launched in the Chinese capital on Friday. The store is one of the first in the country to sell humanoids and consumer robots.

Outlets are compared to car dealers because they offer services such as sales, spare parts, and maintenance.

China is investing heavily in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) as it seeks to overcome challenges such as slowing economic growth and aging.

“If a robot is in thousands of households, it's not enough to rely solely on a robot company,” store manager Wang Yi-Hun told Reuters.

The robots for sale range in prices ranging from 2,000 yuan ($278, £207) to millions of yuan.

Visitors can interact with a wide range of robots, including dogs and chess players, organizers said.

There is also a separate section that offers replacement parts and robot maintenance services.

The robot mall is next to a theme restaurant, where diners are served robotically and the dishes are cooked by mechanical chefs.

China is increasingly prioritizing the robotics industry, with subsidies exceeding $2 billion over the past year.

The Chinese government is also planning a trillion yuan fund for AI and robotics startups.

The robot mall opening coincides with the start of the five-day World Robot Conference, which began in Beijing on Friday.

China's state media said this year's event will see more than 1,500 exhibits from over 200 local and international robotics companies.

Beijing is also preparing to host its first world humanoid robot game from August 14th to 17th.

Teams from over 20 countries compete in events such as track and field, dance, and soccer.