BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Just two years ago, nobody would have expected to see a robot at a Chinese New Year celebration. However, today, the country's booming robotics industry and fast-expanding rental market are infusing this millennia-old festival with exciting futuristic tech.
In a wedding hall in Shanghai, a short, round-headed robot dressed in a miniature suit and red bow tie smoothly navigates the aisle. It's been given the important task of giving the wedding rings to the bride and groom. This robot, an "X2 model" from AgiBot, a Shanghai-based general-purpose embodied robots company, has already served at four or five ceremonies.
Meanwhile, in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, rental platforms are flooded with inquiries, with bookings for robot performers solidly packed through March. From corporate galas to shopping mall promotions, a new workforce is clocking in, not for a salary, but for a daily fee that can reach tens of thousands of yuan, said Cheng Qingmiao, a director of Sichuan Embodied Intelligent Robot Technology Co., Ltd.
China's burgeoning robot rental market is rapidly evolving from a novel gimmick into a serious commercial proposition. New platforms are rapidly emerging, looking to bridge the gap between scattered supply and booming demand with an easy-to-use app-based service.
Beneath this hustle lies a strategic national priority. The Chinese government has shown strong commitment to the robotics sector through supportive policies. The industry is viewed as a cornerstone for future economic growth.
Industry leaders said that the domestic rental market reached 1 billion yuan (about 143.9 million U.S. dollars) in 2025 and is poised to explode to at least 10 billion yuan in 2026.
LOWERING THE BARRIER
The core driver is accessibility. High-performance humanoid robots carry a hefty price tag, often ranging from several hundred thousand to over a million yuan. For small businesses or event organizers, they are impractical for one-off needs.
"The rental model effectively loosens this constraint. Just like a factory has peak and off-seasons, it's more flexible to rent robots during busy times than to hire long-term staff or buy directly," said Li Kewei, co-founder of Flycode, an operator of intelligent robotic systems based in Hangzhou, east China.
For customers, it's a low-risk trial. For manufacturers and the industry, it's a vital feedback loop, generating invaluable data on real-world performance, which is critical for guiding future technological development and product optimization.
In addition, the market's viability is supercharged by industrial growth as 2025 is seen as China's "first year of mass production" for humanoid robots, with over 140 domestic manufacturers releasing more than 330 different models, according to the China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
This supply boom has triggered price correction in the rental market. In early 2025, riding the wave of a buzzworthy performance on China's Spring Festival Gala, daily rents for a high-end humanoid robot could hit 15,000 to 20,000 yuan.
As supply increased and platform competition emerged, prices have rationalized. Botshare now lists robots for as low as 1,499 yuan daily, having even run promotional "1 yuan flash rental" campaigns in 10 major cities. This democratization is key to driving widespread adoption.
"DIDI FOR ROBOTS"
To tame the fragmented market, major players are building integrated platforms, functioning as aggregators and standard-setters.
Connecting robot manufacturers, local service partners, and content creators with end-users, the platforms manage everything from booking and payment to insurance, on-site technical support, and standardized service protocols. This model is designed to make renting a robot as straightforward as hailing a ride.
The leading platform Botshare was co-launched in December 2025 by embodied intelligence companies including AgiBot. Dubbed the "Didi (China's ride-hailing giant) for robots," it has all the parties of the business on a single app.
It offers standardized rentals for over 10 specific scenarios, from weddings to exhibitions. Prices are tiered, starting from 499 yuan daily for basic models to nearly 100,000 yuan for premium packages with technicians and custom programming.
Its CEO, Li Yiyan, said that the platform has connected over 600 service providers and 1,000 devices, planning to expand to 200 cities in 2026.
PAINS OF GROWTH
Despite explosive growth, there are still some big challenges ahead. First is the "gimmick" trap as much demand is still for novelty and entertainment. Robots are often rented for simple, repetitive performances, which can cause consumer fatigue. Repeat customers are rare. The challenge lies in transitioning from "show" to "service."
Customers are no longer paying just for a "wow" factor but for tangible value and professional presentation, said Li Kewei. In response, platforms are shifting from renting hardware to delivering complete, theatrical experiences with custom choreography, lighting, sound, and stage design.
Technological limitations persist. Current rentals rely heavily on pre-programmed scripts and manual operation. "The rational human-robot ratio should be 1:1," said Li Yiyan, noting the need for a skilled operator per robot.
He also pointed out the pains of market consolidation. The rise of major platforms triggered a sharp price correction, with daily rents for some models falling over 40 percent from their peak. This situation is tough for small-scale newcomers.
NEXT FRONTIER
The industry's future growth depends on moving beyond entertainment. While performances dominate, the next frontiers are industrial and domestic applications.
Han Kui, vice president of Chengdu-based Beyond Consulting, noted a promising shift in orders from entertainment to manufacturing, commerce, and healthcare. Robots are being trialed for tasks like logistics sorting, guided tours, and even preliminary home companionship, he said.
As technology advances under national policy guidance, the potential scale is staggering. China Academy of Information and Communications Technology estimates that by 2045, more than 100 million units of humanoid robots are expected to be deployed across various sectors, creating a 10 trillion-yuan market.
In this context, renting isn't just a short-term solution; it's becoming a lasting, flexible alternative to owning. The sight of robots "working part-time" at Chinese events is the early, visible sign of a massive economic and technological shift, said Li Kewei. ■
