by Xiong Weisheng

BEIJING, Mar 31 (China Economic Net) - In an effort to turbocharge the burgeoning sector of embodied artificial intelligence (AI), a series of research reports and plans were unveiled at the Second China Embodied AI Conference (CEAI 2025) on March 30 in Beijing. The plans include a white paper, a research agenda, and an interpretation of a multi-year action plan.

Embodied AI enables machines to perceive, decide, and interact physically in real-world settings. This technology powers robots that can navigate complex environments, adapt to challenges, and work alongside humans, which is crucial for industries like logistics, elder care, and advanced manufacturing.

The announcements feature a 15-point research agenda targeting advances in areas including multi-modal perception, embodied reasoning, and human-robot collaboration. The agenda also highlights ethical safety protocols, aligning with global standards for AI transparency and adaptability.

A white paper, crafted by experts from top institutions such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Tsinghua University, details the sector’s key technologies, current applications, and future trends.

Specifically, the event outlines a detailed interpretation of Beijing municipality's 2025–2027 action plan on embodied AI, a four-strategy blueprint to foster an ecosystem of research, industry applications, and investments. The city also launched the Embodied AI Collaborative Innovation Matrix at the event, in an aim to unite labs, universities, and industries to boost AI-robotics breakthroughs and real-world applications.

Industry forecasts estimate that China’s embodied AI market, valued at 480 billion yuan ($67 billion) in 2024, is projected to surpass 1 trillion yuan by 2031, fueled by advances in large-scale AI models.

Hosted by the Chinese Association for Artificial Intelligence (CAAI), CEAI 2025 was co-organised by the Preparatory Committee for Embodied Intelligence under CAAI, the Institute of Computing Technology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tongji University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Tsinghua University.