From mechanical butlers to life-like replicas of Albert Einstein, Beijing’s newest tech destination is putting the future on display. Robot Mall, which officially opened on Friday, is one of China’s first dedicated stores for humanoid and consumer-focused robots and it’s already turning heads.
The store offers more than 100 types of robots, ranging in price from an affordable 2,000 yuan ($278) to several million yuan for high-end models. Much like a car dealership, Robot Mall provides not just sales, but also spare parts and maintenance services to keep the machines running smoothly.
Visitors can interact with a variety of robots, from four-legged robotic dogs to chess-playing machines. The experience extends beyond the shop floor next door, a themed restaurant staffed entirely by robots serves meals cooked by mechanical chefs.
Speaking to Reuters, store director Wang Yifan stressed the importance of expanding access to robotics: “If robots are to enter thousands of households, relying solely on robotics companies is not enough.”
The launch comes as China ramps up investment in robotics and artificial intelligence, seeing the sector as a way to address challenges like an ageing population and slowing economic growth. In the past year alone, subsidies have exceeded $20 billion, and the government is preparing a 1 trillion yuan fund to boost AI and robotics startups.
