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At this year’s Beyond Expo in Macau, Chinese robot companies, including well-known names like Unitree Robotics and Engine AI, stole the spotlight. The event, which ran from May 22 to May 25, brought together more than 20 companies showcasing robots and related technologies. You could see robots performing everything from coffee-making to helping with rehabilitation.

The robotics industry in China is experiencing a surge in attention, fuelled by the wider boom in artificial intelligence. Even though some people still doubt what these machines can do, the energy and ambition of Chinese tech firms are clear. The conference showed how seriously these companies are taking their place on the world stage.

Humanoid robots draw crowds

One of the highlights came from Shenzhen-based Engine AI, which displayed its 1.38-metre (4.5-foot) tall humanoid robot, PM01. This sleek robot moved around the exhibition floor on May 23, drawing in curious onlookers. Priced at US$13,700, PM01 is designed mainly for cultural tourism and use in research institutions. According to a representative at Engine AI’s booth, the robot is already used in various public and academic settings.

Another attention-grabber was Beijing-based Noetix, which brought its expressive robot head, Hobbs, to the event. Hobbs is designed to mimic a wide range of human facial expressions. The device can be used in scientific studies and as a companion for older adults. Even with a steep price tag of 300,000 yuan (US$41,663), Noetix has already received dozens of orders, according to a company staff member. Notably, Hobbs recently gained attention by finishing second in a humanoid robot half-marathon held in Beijing, highlighting progress and ongoing challenges in robotic movement.

Investment in robotics is on the rise

The growing presence of robot companies at Beyond Expo reflects the increasing competition in China’s robotics industry. According to the country’s Ministry of Commerce, online sales of intelligent robots jumped 87% in the first four months of 2025 compared to the same period last year, based on data from the National Bureau of Statistics.

A recent report from market research firm ITJuzi revealed that robotics investment has outpaced key industries like semiconductors and new materials. In the first quarter alone, there were 98 investment deals in the sector, up 113% from the same period in 2024.

On May 23, the southern tech hub of Shenzhen announced the launch of two new investment funds totalling 7 billion yuan to support start-ups focused on robotics and smart devices. This move shows how serious local governments are about supporting innovation.

Mass production and future challenges

While Chinese firms are eager to scale up, challenges remain. Over 10 companies aim to start mass production of robots this year. However, the recent humanoid robot marathon also revealed how far these machines must go. Many robots in the race stumbled or fell, and only six out of 20 finished the course. These limitations point to ongoing hurdles in creating robots that can function reliably in real-world environments.

Wang Xingxing, CEO and founder of Unitree Robotics spoke earlier this month at an industry event in Shanghai. He pointed out a major roadblock: the lack of a unified “end-to-end” AI system. Without such a system, developers must still programme specific tasks into robots. A general-purpose AI would let robots learn and adapt independently to many jobs.

Even with this issue, there’s no denying the ambition on show at Beyond Expo. With strong investment, public interest, and clear signs of technological progress, the future of Chinese robotics looks promising. Whether you’re interested in tech, business, or just curious about tomorrow’s robots, it’s clear that China is ready to lead.

This story has been updated to include additional comment from Meta.

In 2021, nonprofit developer Allied Housing received $1.5 million via a fund that Meta had set up as part of the technology company’s $1 billion commitment to affordable housing made two years earlier. The 59-unit affordable apartment building Allied planned — half of the units reserved for formerly homeless renters — was exactly the kind of project Facebook’s parent company hoped its commitment would get off the ground.

Within a year, Allied repaid the money. Not because the project collapsed. Because the money wasn’t a gift—it was a loan, as was most of the money that Meta has invested into housing.

A $150 million loan fund for affordable housing, called the Community Housing Fund, is one of the only funding promises the company has kept as part of its 2019 announcement. A Bay Area News Group investigation found that Meta has largely abandoned its $1 billion housing pledge, having spent just $193 million six years in.

Executives cut most funding to the housing initiative in late 2022, according to three people with knowledge of the company’s decision-making who requested anonymity out of fear of professional repercussions. That year, Meta laid off most of the team and shelved plans for a second $250 million loan fund targeting middle-income housing. That money, along with another $332 million in committed capital, remains unspent.

Beyond the Community Housing Fund, Meta did fulfill some other parts of its plan: it gave $25 million to support new teach housing in Palo Alto, $15 million to a modular housing company, and gave out some $2 million in grants. It also pledged $225 million in land around its Menlo Park headquarters, where it says housing will eventually be built. But the company has yet to complete the necessary predevelopment work required to eventually go vertical, and the city said the company hasn’t laid out a specific timeline for construction.

During the years the housing team was active, it struggled to gain buy-in for the initiative with executives focused on the company’s bottom line, the sources said.

Like many tech companies around Silicon Valley, Meta lacks a corporate charitable arm. As people inside the company were drafting a concept for the housing initiative to present to Meta’s board, they had to consider ways to invest in housing that also wouldn’t significantly drain the company’s balance sheet. The vast majority of the pledge, therefore, took the form of low-interest loans.

The Community Housing Fund was the first — and only — of Meta’s loan funds to get off the ground. It gave out loans of up to $15 million at a 2% interest rate — much lower than other loans — to projects with at least 20% of their units reserved for extremely low-income tenants, according to the fund’s description.

This fund was unique in that it financed developers early on in the process to help pay for site acquisitions and architectural drawings — a stage when the development has a high risk of not panning out, which is why traditional banks don’t get involved until later.

The housing initiative team considered this a win-win: Developers got cheap money to get their housing projects off the ground. Meta could get their money back in one to eight years, with a small return.

“It was a resounding success,” said Ray Bramson, chief operating officer of Destination: Home, a San Jose nonprofit aimed at ending homelessness, which partnered with Meta on the fund.

But people familiar with the program say it was meant to go even further.

When the Community Housing Fund was launched, Meta had intended to keep the money recirculating — so that money repaid would be funneled into new projects, according to three people familiar with the Community Housing Fund who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they feared professional repercussions.

But those people say that Meta decided that once the original $150 million is spent, that money will not replenish the fund, but return to the company.

Meta denied that the loan fund was ever intended to be revolving, and said that the agreement governing the fund doesn’t allow for funds to be recycled. In a previous statement to this news organization, the company said it is “an active partner in addressing the region’s housing shortage” and that it will continue to update stakeholders as it makes progress on its decades-long commitment.

So far, the Community Housing Fund is nearly spent through. According to Meta, the loans have supported 19 projects in the five core Bay Area counties, helping to get over 2,000 units entitled, with nearly half dedicated to those making less than 30% of the area median income, or $42,200 for a single person in Santa Clara County.

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• There are widespread reports of the new Whoop MG band failing
• The device becomes unresponsive after several hours of use
• Whoop has issued replacements to at least some of those affected

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It seems as though there’s a serious problem with the new Whoop MG (Medical Grade) fitness bands that were launched just a couple of weeks ago, with many users reporting that their devices have crashed and stopped working.

As reported by Tech Issues Today, there are complaints all over forum boards and social media. The issue is the same: the device sensors stop working just hours after the Whoop MG is set up, with no warning signs.

ASICS introduces a look at its latest tonal GEL-NYC sneaker model with the launch of the White and Smoke Grey colorway palette to join its roster. Now available to shop online, the silhouette is doused in minimal hues for a simple and versatile look. The Smoke Grey tones make its way onto the mudguard and the midsole top unit.

Dark navy blue-grey tones are seen decorating the heel and the GEl capsules to add some depth to the design. It is inspired by early 2000s running models and the upper’s build nods to the brand’s GEL-NIMBUS 3. Elements from the brand’s GEL-MC PLUS V are integrated to enhance its layered look with a GEL-CUMULUS 16 tooling system for comfort.

Image Credit: ASICS

• Early buyers of the new Whoop 5.0 and especially the medical-grade MG are reporting widespread device failures shortly after receiving them, with devices becoming unresponsive.

• Despite offering troubleshooting steps, Whoop appears to be proactively sending replacement units to affected users, suggesting a potential quality control issue with the initial batch of the new MG trackers.

• The significant number of complaints online points to a major blunder for Whoop, with speculation that the company is now shipping replacements from a potentially corrected production run.

The launch of Whoop’s latest Whoop 5.0 and the Whoop MG (medical grade) has been marred with complaints about the wearables failing for a significant portion of early buyers.

For those unaware, Whoop wearables are primarily known for their fitness-tracking features, but they also offer robust health monitoring capabilities. With the new Whoop MG, the company is expanding its health-focused features, complete with blood pressure insights and “clinically-accurate ECG readings.”

The promising debut, however, is now being overshadowed by reports of the new wearables dying.

This isn’t an isolated incident. A large number of users have aired their grievances online, with issues primarily affecting those with the MG model, as highlighted by TechIssuesToday.

It appears I’ve got a dead MG. It arrived two days ago with 98% charge. Battery pack seemed charged and I used it to initially get the MG into pairing mode. After ~1 day of seamless operation I woke this morning and noticed it hasn’t synced up overnight and now nothing I do can get it to wake up or show any LED lights. Battery pack appears fine.

Users’ MG devices reportedly stopped working without any warning signs, remaining unresponsive even after being fully charged.

The company is actively issuing replacements

User reports have made their way to Whoop’s community forum, and although the company is yet to share the root cause of the issue, it seemingly is offering replacement devices to those affected.

“We’ve noticed your WHOOP may not be syncing as it should. We have proactively sent you replacement WHOOP right away,” reads the company’s email to an affected user. Several others confirmed that they’re being sent replacement units too.

The company also shared some troubleshooting steps, which included checking the battery pack, charging the Whoop MG sensor for at least 15 minutes, force restarting the device, and pairing the device again. I have yet to see a single Whoop MG case where any of the troubleshooting steps offered relief. If you’re facing the same issue with your new Whoop, submitting a support request for a replacement device might be your best bet.

This is a major quality control blunder on Whoop’s part. It is plausible that an early batch faced some mass manufacturing defects, and the company is now shipping replacements from a newer batch, though that’s just speculation.