Al Root

Investors following the humanoid robot industry might want to watch Unitree's Lunar New Year celebration.

It shows dozens of robots performing incredible feats of dexterity and coordination at speeds rivaling those of humans. It's something to behold.

The video is another reminder that the current generation of AI is capable of training robots to perform useful tasks. What's lacking is the ability to manufacture robots at scale for prices that make sense.

The current generation of robots costs more than $100,000 to manufacture. That price needs to drop below $20,000 for the technology to grow to the scale of a business like the car or smartphone industry.

Cost notwithstanding, the Unitree video is also a reminder that robots capable of completing labor-saving tasks are coming faster than investors might expect, and that China is a serious player in the market.

Founded about a decade ago, Unitree, a Chinese robotics leader, isn't publicly traded yet. Investors can think about it a little like Boston Dynamics, which is majority-owned by Hyundai Motor. Boston Dynamics' humanoid robot is called Atlas.

Unitree is planning an initial public offering, however, which could come in early or mid-2026. Valuation will be something to watch for. In 2025, estimates were for $7 billion. Those are likely too low now. Boston Dynamics valuation has surged to about $25 billion, up from about $1 billion a few years ago.

American investors don't have many ways to invest directly in humanoid robots. Tesla, of course, is working on its humanoid robot, Optimus, and plans to show off version three early this year.

For now, investors can ready themselves for a robot boom by familiarizing themselves with the players and technology, while also wondering why Unitree chose to give some of the robots swords.

Write to Al Root at allen.root@dowjones.com

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February 18, 2026 08:53 ET (13:53 GMT)

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