Ministry of Industry and Information Technology releases humanoid robot standardization guidelines, accelerating industry ecosystem development

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) Vice Minister Zhang Yunming clearly stated at the State Council Information Office press conference that MIIT will release a comprehensive standardization system construction guide for humanoid robots and embodied intelligence. This is not only a technical document but also an important signal indicating the industry’s shift from “wild growth” to “regulated development.” At the same time, MIIT will promote technological innovation in humanoid robots, strengthen ecosystem construction, and enhance investment support to form a complete closed loop from standards to practice.

Policy Core: From Innovation-Driven to Regulated Development

MIIT’s combined approach includes several key dimensions:

Standardization System Construction

Releasing the comprehensive standardization system construction guide for humanoid robots and embodied intelligence, which means the industry will have unified technical specifications and quality standards. Standardization is not about restricting innovation but about establishing a common language and baseline for the industry, enabling products from different companies to be compatible and interoperable, thereby reducing market entry costs.

Quality and Safety Assurance

MIIT emphasizes ongoing strengthening of inspection and testing for humanoid robot product quality, network, and data security. This reflects the policy’s focus on safety issues amid rapid AI development. Since humanoid robots involve human-machine interaction and data collection, safety inspection and testing are necessary preconditions.

Technology Ethics Management

Carrying out relevant research and management services on technological ethics, embodying the concept of high-level safety assurance. The widespread application of humanoid robots involves ethical issues; proactive planning and management can prevent passive responses later.

Ecosystem Construction: Multi-Level Promotion of Industry Maturity

In addition to standardization, MIIT has taken several important measures at the ecosystem level:

Strengthening support from the National Artificial Intelligence Industry Investment Fund for humanoid robots, indicating ongoing financial commitment. Building an open-source community for humanoid robots, which is a key measure to lower innovation barriers and accelerate technological iteration. An open-source community allows more enterprises and R&D institutions to participate, forming an ecosystem of technological sharing and rapid iteration.

According to relevant information, the attention in the field of humanoid robots has already been high, including evaluations from Silicon Valley investors on new versions and applications in the Spring Festival Gala rehearsals, all indicating the sector’s popularity and application prospects.

Industry Significance: From Technological Breakthroughs to Industry Norms

The significance of these initiatives lies in:

Transforming the industry from dispersed innovation to orderly development. Previously, the humanoid robot field was mainly explored by individual enterprises; standardization systems can unify technological directions and quality requirements.

Pre-emptive safety and ethical safeguards. Instead of solving problems after they arise, establishing normative frameworks early in industry development.

Accelerating industry maturity through ecosystem construction. Investment funds, open-source communities, and other measures can reduce innovation costs and speed up the transition of technologies from laboratories to applications.

Future Outlook

The release of the standardization system is expected to advance within 2026, providing clear development directions for the humanoid robot industry. More detailed standards and inspection norms are anticipated to be introduced subsequently. With the improvement of the standard system and the construction of open-source communities, more enterprises and research institutions are expected to join this sector, forming an industrial clustering effect.

Meanwhile, combined with MIIT’s recent release of the “AI+ Manufacturing” special action, humanoid robots as an important form of embodied intelligence are expected to find more application scenarios in manufacturing, service industries, and other fields. This means the industry is not only about technological competition but also about application ecosystem competition.

Summary

MIIT’s release of the humanoid robot standardization guide marks the industry’s entry into a regulated development stage. From standard formulation to safety inspection, from investment support to open-source communities, MIIT’s comprehensive approach embodies the concept of “high-level safety guarantees for high-quality development.” This is beneficial for the industry’s long-term healthy development and clarifies the development direction for enterprises. It can be said that the “game rules” of the humanoid robot industry are gradually being established, and the next key step is to see how various enterprises innovate and apply within this framework.