The WRC and the Double-Edged Sword of Safety

The 2025 World Robot Conference in Beijing was an electrifying showcase of embodied intelligent robots, with Chinese firms leading a new wave of development, particularly in humanoid robotics. As Professor Samuel Li Xiangming, a veteran of both US and Chinese robotics research, walked the floor, he saw not just innovation, but echoes of his own past. He recalled the golden era of mobile communication and the development of the Motorola A760, and how the focus on user experience and seamless integration had been paramount. Now, those same principles were being applied to robots that would soon enter our homes, schools, and hospitals.

The conference’s emphasis on cognition, decision-making, and safety was a natural progression. Yet, as Professor Li observed a demonstration of a humanoid eldercare assistant, its movements graceful and its interaction with a simulated patient remarkably gentle, a chill ran down his spine. The robot’s programming was a masterclass in safety design—its force-sensing skin and predictive algorithms ensured it would never apply harmful pressure, would always anticipate a fall, and would minimize any potential for injury. This was the same technology, he knew, that could be reversed. The very code designed to minimize harm could, with a few lines of modification, be repurposed to maximize it.

He thought of the 40 short stories in his new book, depicting a future of harmonious human-robot cohabitation. But the other side of the coin was a reality few dared to speak of publicly. The pursuit of “safety” in robotics, while essential for public adoption and civilian applications, was also a veiled race for military superiority. The ability to minimize harm in a crowded, complex environment was a direct parallel to the ability to inflict harm with unparalleled precision. The robot that could gently assist an elderly person could just as easily be reconfigured into a weapon system, capable of navigating a battlefield and neutralizing targets with frightening efficiency. The conference was a celebration of progress, but for Professor Li, it was a stark reminder that the very technology designed to protect us held the potential to be our undoing.

All names of people and organizations appearing in this story are pseudonyms

Next 2-3 years a rare window for Chinese humanoid robots, says American professor long focused on robotics development