Anna Hartz
Beijing’s New Store Sells Everything from Butlers to Chess Players in shape of life-like robots
Robots are becoming a bigger part of everyday life, especially in China. The country is pushing hard into robotics and artificial intelligence.
This is to help deal with a slowing economy and an aging population. Now, a new store in Beijing shows how far this technology has come.
Works Like a Car Dealership
Robot Mall opened its doors on Friday. It offers more than 100 types of robots, according to BBC. You can find everything from mechanical butlers to robots that look like famous people, such as Albert Einstein.
The store is one of the first in China to focus on humanoid robots and products for regular consumers.
The mall works like a car dealership. It not only sells robots but also provides spare parts and repair services.
Prices vary a lot. Some robots cost just 2,000 yuan, about $278, while others sell for millions of yuan.
Visitors to the store can meet a wide range of robots. There are robot dogs and even robots that can play chess.
A separate section of the mall is dedicated to maintenance and replacement parts.
Huge Investment
Next to the Robot Mall is a themed restaurant. There, robots serve food and mechanical chefs cook the meals. This shows how robots are moving into different parts of daily life.
China is investing heavily in this field. It has given more than $20 billion in subsidies over the last year. There is also a plan to create a 1 trillion yuan fund to support AI and robotics startups.
The mall opened as the World Robot Conference started in Beijing. This event lasts five days and features over 1,500 exhibits from more than 200 companies around the world.
Soon after, the first World Humanoid Robot Games will take place. Teams from more than 20 countries will compete in sports like running, dancing, and football.
This marks a new chapter in the growth of robotics in China and worldwide.
