Dance, Singing, and Performances on Offer... Robot Rental Service in China
Pilot Operation Underway in Select Chinese Cities
In China, humanoid robots are being commercialized in the entertainment sector ahead of industrial sites. With the emergence of relatively low-cost rental services, observers expect their use to spread rapidly, especially at parties and various events.
A humanoid robot is singing at a robot gala show released by Chinese robotics company Ajibot. Ajibot YouTube
On the 10th (local time), the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that "a pilot service is underway in China where, for 999 yuan (about 210,000 won), users can rent a humanoid robot and order dancing, performances, photo shoots, and more."
This is a service provided by the humanoid robot rental platform "Botshare (Qingtianzhu)." Ahead of Valentine’s Day and the Lunar New Year holiday, Botshare recently launched the "999 Yuan Nationwide Robot Experience Program."
The fee is 999 yuan for 90 minutes. An engineer is dispatched to the venue to assist with equipment installation and fine-tuning. For now, the service is available only in select Chinese cities such as Shanghai, Suzhou, and Hangzhou.
The service can be accessed via a mini program, an app-within-an-app service on China’s social networking service WeChat, and offers customized performances tailored to various occasions such as birthday parties, Valentine’s Day dates, and holiday gatherings.
Robots dressed in themed costumes are programmed to dance, gesture, and interact with people in line with the atmosphere. The performances use Ajibot’s small humanoid model "X2" and its adult-sized model "A2."
For promotional purposes, Ajibot, a Shanghai-based robot manufacturer and a major sponsor of the platform, also released videos of robot performances. The footage shows robots dancing, singing, performing comedy skits, and demonstrating kung fu.
Botshare: "Humanoid rentals will accelerate the spread of robots"
Launched in December last year, Botshare is a "robot-as-a-service platform." Although humanoid robot development is progressing rapidly in China, actual use cases remain limited, and Botshare is seeking a breakthrough by expanding commercial applications. At the launch event, Botshare Chairman and Ajibot partner Zhang Qingsong said, "The rental platform can connect users, intermediaries, content developers, and manufacturers, and thereby accelerate the spread of humanoid robots."
In addition to Ajibot, humanoid models from Engine AI, Limx, Unitree, Ahead Form, and Booster Robotics are also listed on the platform. The scope of use is expected to expand into various fields such as culture and tourism, corporate events, shopping mall promotions, and store opening ceremonies.
Fees start at 999 yuan per day for 8 hours. For high-end customized services, the price can go up to 99,800 yuan per day (21,040,000 won).
Global humanoid market up 508% year-on-year... China leads the way
The growth of the humanoid robot market is also evident in the statistics. According to a report released by market research firm IDC, global humanoid robot shipments in 2025 reached about 18,000 units, up 508% from the previous year, with revenue totaling approximately 440 million dollars (641.7 billion won).
Shipments were led by Chinese companies, with Ajibot and Unitree each supplying around 5,000 units. In contrast, many overseas companies have yet to reach the mass production stage. IDC analyzed that "in 2025, demand for humanoid robots arose mainly in the fields of entertainment, education and research, and data collection."
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