In this episode of Inside the China Room with Jiang Jiang, I’m joined by Hongyang Li, Assistant Professor and Assistant Director at the School of Computing and Data Science at the University of Hong Kong (HKU). He is also the co-founder of Archon Robotics, a Shanghai-based startup developing AI systems for humanoid robots. His research spans autonomous driving, robotics and embodied AI.
In our conversation, Li discusses what humanoid robots can actually do today, why seemingly simple human tasks remain difficult for machines, and what his experience in autonomous driving has taught him about robotics. We also talk about China’s strengths in robotics manufacturing, its position relative to the United States, and the role of Chinese workers in collecting training data for robots, including for companies overseas.
Chinese humanoid robots have attracted considerable attention for dancing, practicing martial arts and performing increasingly complex movements. But making them useful in everyday life remains a challenge. Li explains his work on “whole-body intelligence,” an approach aimed at helping robots coordinate movement and manipulation while learning to adapt to new tasks and environments.
Li also shares his experience of moving from academic research into entrepreneurship and the challenges of turning technology into commercially useful products. Looking ahead, he believes robotics could reach what he calls a “GPT-3.5 moment” within three years, when robots might become capable of learning new tasks with relatively little additional training, at least in certain settings.
I spoke with Li on October 31 in Beijing, on the sidelines of the HKU Talent Forum, an event bringing together scholars, industry leaders and public-sector representatives to discuss talent development and innovation in the AI era.
Highlights:
01:15 — What can humanoid robots actually do today?
02:39 — Why are everyday tasks so difficult for robots?
05:43 — Whole-body intelligence: Getting robots to move and work at the same time
11:19 — From self-driving cars to humanoid robots: What carries over?
13:50 — China’s strengths in robotics, from supply chains to talent
17:07 — Training robots with human data: Quality, costs and cross-border services
23:38 — From professor to startup founder: A different way of thinking
27:05 — A “GPT-3.5 moment” for robotics in the next three years?
29:35 — Recommendations: Li Jian’s music and finding calm in a busy world
Recommendations:
Hongyang Li: Music by Chinese singers Li Jian (李健) and Faye Wong (王菲). He particularly recommends Li Jian’s song “人间共鸣” (Resonance of Life), appreciating its thoughtful lyrics about finding inner peace and keeping one’s own pace amid the noise and pressures of modern life.
Get in touch with Hongyang Li
For more information, you can contact Hongyang Li at hy@archon.tech.
Enjoyed the episode?
Follow Inside the China Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. New episodes drop every two weeks. Share & rate us to help more listeners discover expert perspectives from inside China.
