Over 60 cutting-edge robots are demonstrating human-like skills at the ongoing 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, from coffee-making to laundry-folding and magic performances.
More than 3,000 AI products from over 800 high-tech enterprises are on display during the event running from Saturday to next Tuesday in Shanghai.
At the smart terminal pavilion, visitors can witness robots handling complex tasks with unprecedented precision.
One robot with two arms showcases advanced fabric manipulation, neatly folding randomly tossed garments while distinguishing between different clothing items, a breakthrough in handling flexible objects that require powerful modeling capabilities.
Nearby, a robotic waiter demonstrates seamless drink delivery. After receiving an order, it will navigate to a refrigerator, identify the correct beverage, and deliver it without pre-programmed movements.
"For this demonstration, we used end-to-end VLA（Vision-Language-Action）embodied AI model for full-motion training. As you can see, its entire body is in motion when retrieving drinks. The entire process involves no manual programming. All trajectories are automatically generated, and the movements looked pretty smooth. Each joint is equipped with force sensors, and we've implemented multiple algorithmic optimizations to ensure seamless performance when opening refrigerator doors and grasping beverages," explained Geng Xuda, the product lead.
Another humanoid robot impressed crowds by carrying drinks with perfect stability while maneuvering through obstacle courses. Its 26 degrees of freedom and zero-space design allow it to maintain steady hand positions while its body adjusts to challenging terrains.
The interactive zone let visitors experience real-time robot control, including precision block-stacking demonstrations.
Throughout the venue, specialized robots demonstrated performing various tasks from assembly line operations to item sorting, offering glimpses of how AI may soon integrate into daily life. While current technology still lags behind human dexterity, the exhibition highlights rapid advancements bringing sci-fi scenarios closer to reality.
Smart robots showcase talents at Shanghai AI conference
