China's military advances in humanoid robots spark concerns

China’s rapid advancements in humanoid robotics for practical applications are raising concerns about their potential use in military and surveillance applications. Unitree Robotics has introduced the G1 humanoid robot, a competitor to American robotic innovations

Despite their commercial focus, experts warn of security risks, including AI manipulation, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and unpredictable AI behavior. There are fears that humanoid robots could be hacked, repurposed for espionage, or even weaponized.

China currently dominates 63% of the global humanoid robot supply chain, investing heavily in AI-driven automation.

Globally, AI-driven military technology is evolving rapidly, with autonomous weapons capable of split-second decisions. While AI promises efficiency and precision, its integration into warfare presents grave risks, including hacking threats, escalation of conflicts, and reduced human accountability.

But perhaps the greatest concern lies in AI-driven warfare reducing the human cost—for military leaders, this could make conflict easier to justify. The absence of direct human stakes raises fears that wars of the future may be triggered and fought by algorithms rather than diplomacy.