In response to an economic slowdown that has driven millions to seek informal employment through online platforms, China has announced a comprehensive plan to enhance protections for gig workers. The 12-point initiative, released by the State Council and the Communist Party's Central Committee, aims to establish stronger labor safeguards for this growing segment of the workforce. Key provisions include ensuring timely and fair wage payments, as well as addressing various other labor rights issues. This move reflects the government's recognition of the increasing reliance on delivery and ride-hailing services, as more individuals turn to the gig economy for financial stability. The plan underscores China's commitment to improving working conditions for these "new employment groups" amid changing economic dynamics.
China outlines new labour protection plan for nation’s 200 million gig workers
Robotics needs a service framework.
RSF defines a common language for robot service capability, lifecycle operations, certification pathways, and service-provider networks.
SpaceX's Starmind Plans 1 Million AI Satellites Amid Collision Risks
SpaceX has announced its ambitious Starmind project, which aims to deploy 1 million AI satellites in orbits between 500 and 2,000 km. This initiative, confirmed by Elon Musk on June 23, 2026, follows a merger with xAI, valuing the combined entity at $1.25 trillion. The satellites will function as orbital data centers, processing AI workloads powered by so...
SpaceX's Starmind Project: Supplier Strategy and Chip Manufacturing Plans for 2026
SpaceX's Starmind project, aimed at deploying up to 1 million AI satellites, was filed with the FCC on January 30, 2026. The initiative is designed to minimize reliance on external suppliers, with CEO Elon Musk stating that current chip production capabilities only meet 2% of the projected needs. The first satellite, AI1, is set for prototype launches in ...
SpaceX's Starship V3 Plans for 1 Million Starmind Satellites by 2030
SpaceX's Starship V3 is set to revolutionize satellite deployment, aiming to launch 1 million Starmind satellites by 2030. The spacecraft can carry over 100 tonnes to low Earth orbit (LEO), significantly more than the Falcon 9's capacity. As of May 2026, Starship has completed 12 flights, with the next mission scheduled for late July 2026, focusing on ope...
Automate 2026 | A3’s Jeff Burnstein on the New Geography of Robotics Adoption
RobotToday interviews A3 President Jeff Burnstein post-Automate 2026 on sector diversification, China’s 10x robot installation lead, a proposed U.S. national robotics strategy, and global cooperation through the IFR.
Market and Business News
The EV Déjà Vu: Why China's Humanoid Robot Blitz May Be Winning the Battle — but Losing the War
China controls 80% of humanoid robot shipments and crushes hardware costs. But is winning the body enough? A deep analysis of the US-China robot war beyond the EV analogy.
Humanoids
Microsoft and Europol dismantle infrastructure of malware "StealC" and "Amadey," shutting down over 200 C2 servers.
Microsoft and Europol have announced the successful takedown of the information-stealing malware known as "StealC" and its loader, "Amadey." This operation was part of an international crackdown dubbed "Operation Endgame," during which Microsoft disabled over 200 command and control servers and identified approximately 18,000 compromised devices for prote...
FUTURE WARFARE | Cross-Domain Integration - Integration How Land, Sea, Air and Software Are Converging Into a Single Kill Chain
Cross-domain robotics is reshaping modern warfare as drones, UGVs, AI targeting systems, and autonomous logistics converge into a single networked kill chain across land, sea, air, and software.
Miscellaneous
Wujie Power Completes New Financing Round, Total Angel Round Funding Exceeds $200 Million
Wujie Power has announced the successful completion of an angel financing round, securing over $200 million from prominent investors, including Envision Group and Sequoia China. This substantial funding will expedite the advancement of its MWA™ embodied intelligence technology, a key innovation aimed at enhancing the global integration of intelligent robo...
Embodied Intelligence Robotics AI
UBTECH Robotics FY2025 Results: Humanoid Revenue Surges 2,200%, Loss Narrows Sharply
UBTECH Robotics (9880.HK) reported FY2025 revenue of RMB 2.0 billion (+53.3%) with humanoid robot sales surging 2,203.7% to RMB 820.6M. Net loss narrowed to RMB 789.8M. Full results breakdown.
Humanoids Market and Business News
China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030): Embodied Intelligence as National Industrial Strategy
China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) elevates embodied intelligence to a national industrial priority for the first time. This RobotToday briefing analyses the plan's robotics directives, new standards framework, and competitive implications for European and North American industry.
Standards and Regulations
RobotToday Weekly Industry Briefing: January 12 – January 16, 2026
NVIDIA advances physical AI with Cosmos and GR00T, humanoid robots move into real factories, China leads global deployments, and robotics stocks gain momentum.
Market and Business News RobotToday Weekly
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