Following the recent short-term disruption caused by Tesla's temporary halt in humanoid robot production, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang recently highlighted at the China International Supply Chain Expo that the next wave of AI innovation will be driven by robotics. Similarly, TSMC chairman C.C. Wei expressed optimism during a recent earnings call, stating that once humanoid robots mature, they could become the next major technological revolution following electric vehicles (EVs). The endorsements from these two industry leaders have significantly boosted market confidence.
Aurotek director Tien-Tsung Cheng also shares a strong belief in the future of humanoid robots and has provided specific indicators for monitoring their development. He noted that humanoid robots, like autonomous vehicles and drones, are intelligent products integrated with kinetic energy systems. Fundamentally, they share similar supply chains requiring "three electrics"—batteries, motors, and motor controllers. Currently, overheating issues in all three areas remain critical challenges to overcome.
Despite these hurdles, Cheng remains confident about humanoid robot progress. Previously, he estimated that humanoid robots might only emerge between 2040 and 2050. However, the advent of ChatGPT has accelerated AI advancements, speeding up the development of robotic "brains." As long as humanoid robots successfully navigate several initial stages, their subsequent growth is expected to accelerate rapidly.
Cheng's extensive career includes serving as HP China president, Foxconn vice president, and Texas Instruments Asia president. After retiring in 2012, he became a well-known mentor within Shenzhen's startup community, leveraging over 30 years of management experience to nurture entrepreneurs.
Many of his mentees have grown into industry leaders, such as the founder of Pudu Robotics, a global leader in commercial service robots, and the founder of Dobot Robotics, one of China's top three collaborative robot companies. Both firms are key partners of Aurotek. In 2023, following the passing of former Aurotek chairman Yung-Chung Chang due to illness, Cheng was called back from retirement after 11 years to assume the chairmanship.
Cheng stated that even before Huang's public emphasis on humanoid robots, he had proposed the concept of "Product 4.0" over a decade ago—integrating intelligence with kinetic power, with robots being a core component alongside autonomous driving, EVs, drones, and unmanned vessels. Upon taking leadership at Aurotek, he recognized the vast potential of robotics and fully committed to transforming the company, benefiting from the current surge in Nvidia robotics stocks. He humorously admitted he hadn't coordinated this move with Huang beforehand.
Although opinions on the practicality of humanoid robots vary widely across the industry—with some calling them "expensive and difficult to use," and others shifting focus to quadruped robot dogs instead—Cheng stated that among all fields, he is most optimistic about humanoid robots. Their human-like design allows them to adapt naturally to modern living environments without requiring costly modifications to surroundings, unlike factory settings, which are structurally optimized for machines.
Faith in the process despite early obstacles
Regarding Tesla's reported hardware difficulties leading to a pause in humanoid robot production, Cheng remained discreet and refrained from commenting on individual companies. Drawing from his frontline industry experience, he maintains faith in the long-term development of humanoid robots, stressing that their evolution must pass through several crucial phases.
He explained that any high-tech product inevitably undergoes an early phase characterized by low yield and limited scale—smartphones experienced the same trajectory. Eventually, technology transitions from centralized control toward democratization and widespread personal adoption.
Quoting Elon Musk's prediction that the number of humanoid robots could be triple the human population, Cheng envisions a future where robots become personalized devices akin to smartphones, with each person owning one or multiple units. Once scaled, prices will naturally decrease, accelerating development further.
However, Cheng stressed that the pace of technological advancement is not the main challenge; rather, legislative progress must keep up. Whether it involves humanoid robots or autonomous vehicles, laws are needed to clarify liability in accidents and insurance claims. Without timely legislation matching technological speed, the mass adoption of emerging technologies will face delays.
Article edited by Jack Wu
