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China has 12½ times more robots in its workforce than industry experts predicted: report

  • ‘Only a matter of time’ before Chinese robotics companies catch up to leading-edge technology, according to a US think tank
  • But world’s largest robotics market still lags in software development and innovation

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The production and deployment rates of robotics in Chinese manufacturing are increasingly rapidly compared with other countries, according to a new report from an independent US think tank. Photo: AP
Zhang Tongin Beijing
China has 12½ times more robots in its workforce than expected, according to an independent think tank in Washington, an indication that Chinese workers are being replaced by robots at the fastest rate in the world.

“China does not yet appear to be leading in robotic innovation, but … it is likely only a matter of time before Chinese robotics companies catch up to the leading edge,” the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) said in a report released on Monday.

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The decision to replace a human worker with a robot is often about saving money. It follows that developed countries with high wages would have greater penetration rates of robots than do lower-wage countries.

But, the ITIF found that China is using automation far more than expected based on what workers get paid in manufacturing, with 12½ times more robots in use than predicted – a big jump from 1.6 times more in 2017.

In contrast, the United States uses only 70 per cent of the robots it should be using, given the wages paid to its manufacturing workers.

The analysis of China’s robotics industry by the US-based public policy think tank included research into major companies and insights from global experts. The report was published on their website on Monday.
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