China’s robotics companies are accelerating development of humanoid robots designed for complex household tasks rather than just factory work.

GigaAI has unveiled its SeeLight S1, a general-purpose home robot capable of cooking, cleaning, and performing everyday chores using embodied AI to autonomously plan tasks.

The company plans to begin free household trials in Wuhan by 2027 and aims to reduce the robot’s price to under 100,000 yuan to support wider adoption.

Early testing will start in employee housing, with a focus on homes with elderly people, children, or pets, while safety systems are built in to prevent accidents, the South China Morning Post has reported.

Experts say home robotics remains challenging due to unpredictable environments and limited data, but the global market is expected to grow rapidly as companies push toward commercialization.