The embodied intelligence industry, which has long faced the challenge of "abundant funding but scarce talent," may soon see improvement. Shanghai Jiao Tong University recently announced the addition of an undergraduate program in embodied intelligence. According to the Ministry of Education's website, seven universities—including Beihang University, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Northeastern University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Zhejiang University, and Xi'an Jiaotong University—have applied to establish this new major.

The push for embodied intelligence programs reflects the industry's struggle to attract qualified professionals despite ample capital. However, building a talent pipeline takes time. At the 2025 Zhongguancun Forum Annual Meeting, it was noted that even six-figure salaries have failed to resolve the talent shortage. Beijing Institute of Technology estimates a current industry-wide talent gap of approximately one million professionals.

Industry data shows that as of December 1, China has 1,218 humanoid robotics-related companies, with 46.14% concentrated in East China and 22.74% in South China. North China accounts for 14.29%, while other regions each represent less than 10%.

In terms of registered capital, over 50% of these companies have capital exceeding RMB 10 million, with 30.47% surpassing RMB 50 million. Another 26.14% fall within the RMB 10–50 million range.

Registration numbers have surged since 2022, with a year-on-year increase of 83.78% in 2024 (136 new registrations). In the first 11 months of this year alone, 263 new companies were registered—exceeding last year’s total and marking a 119.2% growth compared to the same period in 2023.