Latest news with #ShengZhong
NBC News
29-06-2025
- Science
- NBC News
A bumbling game of robot soccer was a breakthrough for embodied AI
Humanoid robots waddled, stumbled, and occasionally face-planted their way through a 3-against-3 soccer tournament in Beijing on Saturday that looked more like the first day of little league than the rise of a robotic Lionel Messi. Pile-ups were frequent as players toppled over each other in slow-motion collisions, goals were left open, and defending appeared optional. Some robots hogged the ball, others struggled to stay upright, and two or three had to be loaded onto a stretcher and carried off the field. While the play was absurd, the tech powering it was anything but. Each team operated fully autonomously, driven by AI, with no human intervention or supervision — an impressive breakthrough somewhat masked by the slapstick spectacle playing out on the field. Equipped with advanced visual sensors, the child-sized robots were able to identify the ball and navigate the field with some halting agility. They were also designed to stand up on their own after falling, though some did require the help of biological humans, including one who was dragged off the field after tipping over near the goal. And beneath the bloopers is a country investing tens of billions of dollars and racing to extend its lead in the field of next-gen robotics. China's robotics market is projected to grow at an annual rate of 23%, reaching $108 billion by 2028—up from the $47 billion it currently invests, according to research published by Morgan Stanley. By 2050, China is expected to have 302.3 million humanoid robots in use, far ahead of the U.S. at 77.7 million, added the report, noting these would likely be used for "repetitive, simple, and structured work," like in factories. 'It is becoming apparent that national support for 'embodied AI' may be far greater in China than in any other nation, driving continued innovation,' said Sheng Zhong, Morgan Stanley's Head of Industrials Research. 'In our opinion, China's lead in AI-robotics may need to widen before rivals, including the U.S., pay closer attention.' Sport is becoming a key part of China's push as a proving ground for the tech. In April, A total of 21 humanoid robots recently competed alongside humans in a half-marathon in Beijing, though only six managed to finish. Saturday's soccer match also served as a preview for the upcoming 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games, which China will host in Beijing from August 15–17. The event will feature 11 robot sports, including gymnastics, track and field, and football. Cheng Hao, founder and CEO of Booster Robotics — the company that supplied the robot players at Saturday's soccer tournament — said that sports competitions are a testing ground for humanoid robots. Their successes and stumbles on the field help accelerate the development of both algorithms and integrated hardware-software systems. He also explained that safety is a core concern about humanoid robots. 'In the future, we may arrange for robots to play football with humans. That means we must ensure the robots are completely safe,' Cheng said, referring to a perceived risk that a heavy robot could fall on and injure a human athlete, for example. 'A robot and a human could play a match where winning doesn't matter, but real offensive and defensive interactions take place. That would help audiences build trust and understand that robots are safe,' he said. Ironically, China's humanoids may be more entertaining than their human counterparts. With the men's national team languishing at 94th in the FIFA rankings and likely to miss out on the next World Cup, the robots at least know how to put on a show — and score. In the final, Tsinghua University's THU Robotics defeated China Agricultural University's Mountain Sea team 5–3 to take the championship. No shortage of goals, and no complaints from the cheering crowd.
CNBC
22-06-2025
- Automotive
- CNBC
China car suppliers can be early winners in the humanoid race, Morgan Stanley says
If the future is all about building mechanical mobility, whether on wheels or robotic legs, auto parts suppliers have a competitive edge. "We believe humanoid robots will bring a third wave of growth for auto parts suppliers," Morgan Stanley analysts said in a June 18 report. The authors include lead autos analyst Adam Jonas, industrial analyst Sheng Zhong and hardware technology analyst Andy Meng. The team upgraded two self-described Chinese Tesla suppliers and maintained a rating of overweight on another given expectations the companies can benefit from the coming rise of humanoids. This would be similar to how auto parts suppliers got a boost from the growth of electric cars and subsequently growth in "smart" cars with driver-assist capabilities. One of the parts companies, Sanhua , is scheduled to list in Hong Kong on Monday in addition to its current listing on mainland China's Shenzhen exchange. Already, at least two automakers — Tesla and Xpeng — are developing humanoid robots. Other car companies such as Zeekr and Volkswagen have teased how they're trying out humanoids at their factories. Auto suppliers "have the chance" to capture 47% to 60% of spending on parts and materials, according to Morgan Stanley estimates. In dollar terms, auto parts suppliers can account for around $15,000, or 60%, of each humanoid's production cost, the firm's report said. Other humanoid components such as screws and bearings aren't commonly used in cars, making machinery companies better poised to supply them, the report said. By 2050, Morgan Stanley predicts the humanoid market will be worth $800 billion in China and $5 trillion worldwide. As it's still early days, the analysts prefer "tier-1" module assemblers such as Sanhua since they "can secure assembly orders no matter which tech path is chosen." That's in contrast with "tier-2" component makers such as lidar or chip producers. A trio of sector picks Here are Morgan Stanley's three sector picks, all currently traded in mainland China: Tuopu — The firm issued a price target of 63 yuan, for upside of nearly 39% from Friday's close. Tuopu makes actuators, which enable mechanical movement in a car , and act as joints and muscles in humanoids. Morgan Stanley trimmed its price target on Tuopu due to softer Tesla orders, but maintained its overweight rating. The analysts expect Tuopu can supply humanoid actuator models as well as dexterous hand models for the robots. Actuator modules account for just under half of a humanoid's total cost, but even when incorporating a price drop, the total addressable market for the modules worldwide is likely to grow by 57% on an annual basis through 2030, Morgan Stanley predicts. "Such a material value composition offers revenue upside to Sanhua and Tuopu," the analysts said. Sanhua — The firm assigned a price target of 30 yuan, reflecting 20% upside from Friday's close. Morgan Stanley upgraded Sanhua to overweight from equal weight, and the firm raised the price target mildly on stronger-than-expected 2025 revenue and expectations for rising electric vehicle penetration worldwide. "We estimate that every 10ppt of global market share in humanoid actuator modules by 2030E would bring incremental revenue to Sanhua equal to 11% of 2024 total revenue," the analysts said. "To mitigate geopolitical risk, Sanhua has been setting up a plant in Thailand, and it expects to start production there from 3Q25." Xusheng — The firm gave the stock a price target of 12 yuan. Shares closed at 12.08 yuan on Friday. Morgan Stanley upgraded the stock to equal weight from underweight on expectations Xusheng's revenue will "recover modestly" as startup automaker Li Auto launches more battery-only electric cars. However, the analysts cautioned that Xusheng may see lower-than-expected revenue from Tesla and other customers. In terms of humanoids, Xusheng can supply casting and torso structural parts, the analysts said. It's still not fully clear how easy it is for the auto parts suppliers to directly shift to making humanoid parts. There are many questions about how quickly and how large the industry of human-like robots will become. The analysts also cautioned that despite Chinese humanoid parts suppliers' cost advantage over overseas peers, U.S.-China tensions could force businesses to choose more expensive alternatives.
South China Morning Post
16-06-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
China's robotics market set to double from 2024 to 2028: Morgan Stanley
China's robotics market is set to grow at an annual rate of 23 per cent to US$108 billion by 2028 from US$47 billion in 2024, solidifying the country's dominant position in the fast-developing sector, according to a research note published by Morgan Stanley on Monday. China's share of the global robotics market was about 40 per cent last year, according to the report by Hong Kong-based analysts Sheng Zhong and Chelsea Wang. A specific forecast for China's market share by 2028 was not provided. 'China is not only the largest market but also is arguably the world's innovation hub, propelling cost efficiencies and next-gen robotics development,' they said. 'Robots have been reshaping China's manufacturing and will have a deeper impact on society in the future as they become more intelligent, collaborative and affordable.' Separate data published by China's National Bureau of Statistics on Monday revealed that the country's industrial robot output surged 35.5 per cent year on year in May, reaching 69,056 units, while service robot output jumped 13.8 per cent to 1.2 million units. 02:01 China's humanoid robots test skills in unique kickboxing competition China's humanoid robots test skills in unique kickboxing competition Robotics is a key component of the Made in China 2025 initiative , launched a decade ago to position the country at the forefront of various hi-tech industries. The strategy aims to establish the country as a global leader in smart manufacturing.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
AI Discovers Suspected Trigger of Alzheimer's, And Maybe a Treatment
Artificial intelligence is a broad term encompassing many different subtypes, from apps that can write poetry to algorithms that are able to spot patterns that would otherwise get missed – and now AI modeling has just played a major role in an Alzheimer's study. Researchers from the University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego) used AI to discover that a gene recognized as a sign of Alzheimer's disease could be causing it too. It highlights one of the big challenges in the study of Alzheimer's: understanding both the changes the disease causes, and the changes that cause the disease. An enzyme called phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH), and the gene that encodes it, were the focus here. The researchers had previously established the gene was typically more active in people with faster-progressing Alzheimer's. What wasn't clear was what was driving this link. The team used AI to model the structure of the PHGDH enzyme more fully, suggesting it had a previously hidden function: flicking switches for other specific genes on and off. Further analysis showed PHGDH interacting with two genes inside brain cells known as astrocytes, in ways that interfere with the brain's ability to regulate inflammation and clear out waste. The researchers think this could be one of the tipping points triggering Alzheimer's, and explaining the association between PHGDH and the disease. "It really demanded modern AI to formulate the three-dimensional structure very precisely to make this discovery," says bioengineer Sheng Zhong, from UC San Diego. Next, the team investigated ways to inhibit PHGDH, but only partly – ideally, a drug would block its ability to regulate genes in astrocytes, while still allowing it to perform its vital enzymatic role. The team found a molecule called NCT-503 that fit the bill. AI modeling was deployed again to examine the structure of this molecule, and how it interacts with PHGDH. NCT-503 seems to bind to a pocket in PHGDH to stop its unauthorized gene-switching. There's still a long way to go before an actual Alzheimer's drug might be developed from this finding, but the research has shown that a treatment based on NCT-503 can put up guardrails around PHGDH in mouse models of the disease. The mice that were treated showed improvements in memory and anxiety tests. "Now there is a therapeutic candidate with demonstrated efficacy that has the potential of being further developed into clinical tests," says Zhong. "There may be entirely new classes of small molecules that can potentially be leveraged for development into future therapeutics." Crucially, NCT-503 is able to pass the blood-brain barrier to access neurons and their associated cells, making the new treatment research even more promising. Drugs based on the molecule could even be taken orally. While it's taking time to unpick the complexities of Alzheimer's disease, and all the different factors involved in its development – from environmental stresses to inherited genetics – each new study gets us a step closer to solutions, and improving how we tackle the condition. "Unfortunately, treatment options for Alzheimer's disease are very limited," says Zhong. "And treatment responses are not outstanding at this moment." The research has been published in Cell. One Stage of Sleep Seems Critical For Reducing Risk of Dementia World First: US Baby Treated With Personalized CRISPR Gene-Editing Men Are Dying From 'Broken Heart Syndrome' at Twice The Rate of Women
CNBC
29-04-2025
- Automotive
- CNBC
Morgan Stanley says humanoid robots will be a $5 trillion market by 2050. How to play it
New estimates from Morgan Stanley suggest investment opportunity in the global humanoid value chain as the technology gets closer to reality. Wall Street continues to double down on its forecasts of a multi-trillion dollar global market for humanoid robots, suggesting it will grow to be significantly larger than the global auto industry by the next couple of decades. New estimates from Morgan Stanley analysts forecast $4.7 trillion in global humanoid revenue by 2050, which the firm said is double the total revenue of the 20 largest automakers in 2024. What's more, while auto revenue could "very well shrink over the next 25 years," analysts estimate that global humanoid adoption will accelerate and reach roughly 1 billion units by 2050, the investment bank said. "With enthusiastic backing from enterprises, investors and governments, the humanoid space is evolving rapidly," Morgan Stanley analysts Adam Jonas and Sheng Zhong wrote in a report on Tuesday. Makers of integrated humanoids "that own robot brains, bodies, branding and ecosystems offer the highest value." Outperforming in 2025 Morgan Stanley's 'Humanoid 100' database includes several players in the global humanoid market, including companies making the brains and body of the robot — simulation and vision software, semiconductor makers, sensors, batteries and actuator parts — along with names that are creating and integrating humanoid figures. This collection of companies is up 4.5% year to date, far outperforming the S & P 500, the bank said. Much of this growth can be attributed to Chinese companies. China is the world's largest car manufacturer and also the top robot market in the world, according to the International Federation of Robotics. "Robots will need to be increasingly adopted to mitigate the labor cost gap between the U.S. and China/other low-cost countries," Jonas and Zhong wrote in the 25-page report. "We note that 7 of the top 10 ['Humanoid 100'] performers are China-based, most of them 'body' (component) companies rallying on hope that government support, new investments and demand from legacy manufacturing (autos, aerospace, etc.) will lead to material humanoid-related revenues over the coming years." The U.S., meanwhile, should see humanoid adoption explode starting in the mid-to-late 2030s and on into the 2040s, according to the firm, which estimates that the U.S. humanoid market could generate roughly $240 billion in total revenue by 2040 and $1 trillion by 2050. 'High potential' stocks Investors looking to play a promising global industry can consider companies such as Tesla , Alibaba and Nvidia that Morgan Stanley believes offer "high potential" in the humanoid robot market. Tesla and Amazon are both rated overweight by Morgan Stanley analysts, and are considered the two leading U.S. stocks among humanoid integrators. Nvidia , Alphabet and Meta are companies working on the so-called brains of humanoids, creating the foundational models that are powering reasoning and skill capabilities. Nvidia in March announced a suite of technologies to power humanoid robots, including an open, fully customizable model Isaac GR00T N1 that allows humanoids to interpret instructions and mirror human reflexes to perform various tasks, such as grasping and moving objects. Nvidia first announced Project GR00T, its general-purpose foundational model, more than a year ago. China-based Alibaba and Shenzhen Inovance are also leading humanoid innovation. Inovance creates advanced motion control technology for robotic applications. To be sure, Wall Street estimates on humanoids continue to vary (see CNBC's previous reporting here) . Goldman Sachs estimates global humanoid robot demand potentially achieving a $38 billion total addressable market by 2035, and modeled 502,000 global humanoid robot shipments by the end of 2032. BofA Global Research believes global humanoid robot shipments will reach 18,000 units in 2025, and 10 million units globally by the end of 2035, reflecting an 88% compound annual growth rate over the decade.
