Shanghai Plan Targets 8,000 Humanoid Robots in Factories by 2028

Shanghai's economic and information technology authority released an action plan on October 28, 2026, calling for 8,000 humanoid robots to be deployed in factories by 2028. The plan also targets an industrial robot density of 600 robots per 10,000 workers.

The plan seeks to ensure that all key manufacturing enterprises have smart factories and to develop 500 advanced-level smart factories by 2028. It supports innovation in humanoid and collaborative robots and includes four initiatives, one focused on laying the foundations for AI-enabled manufacturing.

From deployment targets to factory use

The humanoid robot target puts factory adoption alongside the plan's broader smart manufacturing goals. For manufacturers and robot suppliers, the practical question is how robots can be integrated into production workflows. Deployment at the targeted scale will depend on how well the technology fits those workflows and how implementation progresses.

The figures are policy targets, not evidence of robots already installed or smart factories already completed. Subsequent announcements on deployment and factory development will be important indicators of progress toward the 2028 goals.