Physical AI to change lives, impact jobs: XPeng CEO

The arrival of physical artificial intelligence (AI) could bring a life-changing impact across various aspects of society and may see many jobs being replaced, with its application in the automobile sector also set to be profound, according to He Xiaopeng, founder and CEO of leading Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Xpeng.

He was speaking at the ongoing Auto China 2026, officially known as the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, which kicked off on Friday under the theme "Future of Intelligence" and will run until May 3.

Xpeng has unveiled its flagship "GX" SUV at the event, an advanced vehicle which features four self-developed Turing AI chips delivering local computing power of 3,000 TOPS (trillion operations per second), enabling high-level autonomous driving.

At the auto show, the concept of physical AI, which refers to the ability of vehicles to perceive, reason and act in the real world, has emerged as a new auto industry buzzword.

Speaking to the China Global Television Network (CGTN), Xpeng's founder made a bold prediction that physical AI will not only change the entire motoring experience through intelligent assisted driving, but could come to completely alter lifestyle habits.

"I think physical AI will make us more relaxed in many aspects, and may even replace some low-level jobs in the future. Therefore, in the automotive industry, physical AI will change the role of drivers. We look forward to its application in business, then in industry, and finally in households -- perhaps allowing us to have more sleep time at home. Moreover, flying cars will enable ordinary people like us to travel or go out safely and efficiently. I think these are all the changes we are witnessing right now," He said.

Regarding Xpeng's rapid expansion in overseas markets, He said the firm will continue to increase its presence across the globe, saying he looks forward to more win-win cooperation wit foreign customers and users around the world.

"Over the past year, Xpeng has launched three overseas manufacturing plants, added one research and development center and more than 40 sales outlets worldwide. This year, we will continue to open new factories and research and development centers across the globe. We aim to take steady root in global markets and pursue high-quality development," He said.

Physical AI to change lives, impact jobs: XPeng CEO

The United States and Israel have committed the gravest crimes against humanity in Iran over a period of more than 40 days, said Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday.

Araghchi made the remark in a meeting with Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), who led a delegation to visit Tehran on the day.

Araghchi said at the meeting that the military aggression against Iran by the United States and Israel violates the principles of the UN Charter.

The crimes committed by the U.S. and Israel against the Iranian people - particularly attacks on the country's educational facilities, scientific research centers, historical and cultural sites, hospitals, critical productive infrastructure and residential areas - constitute grave breaches of international humanitarian law, he said.

These include attacks on an elementary school in Minab in southern Iran, massacre of Iranian children, and the assassination of Iranian leaders, said Araghchi.

Over a period of more than 40 days, the U.S. and Israel have committed the gravest crimes against humanity, he said.

Araghchi called on the international community and relevant international institutions to unequivocally and resolutely condemn the war crimes committed by the U.S. and Israel, and to hand over those responsible for trial and punishment by their home states and international tribunals.

He said that Iran expects the ICRC, other humanitarian organizations and governments of countries around the world to fulfill their legal and moral obligations under international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions.

Spoljaric expressed deep regret at the meeting over the casualties among Iranian civilians in the conflict and the attacks by the U. S. and Israel on Iranian civilian targets, especially schools, hospitals and residential areas.

She emphasized the necessity to protect civilians and critical infrastructure and uphold international humanitarian rights in armed conflicts.

Spoljaric said that the recent threats by the U.S. and Israel against Iran, including those to Iranian civilian infrastructure, can be regarded as war crimes.

US, Israel commit gravest crimes against humanity in Iran: Araghchi