In 2023, ChatGPT set off a wave of AI, leading to the rise of big models and the successive introduction of humanoid robots. The empowerment of artificial intelligence takes robots one step further from generalization, and robots connecting the physical and virtual worlds are also widely regarded as the next hot spot in artificial intelligence. Musk believes that the future of humanoid robots will be a larger industry than electric cars, or even the traditional car market.
Specifically, humanoid robots are complex products that are highly integrated with various advanced technologies. They have similar or superior appearance, movement, intelligence, and functions to humans. Therefore, they have broad application prospects in various scenarios and fields, such as entertainment, education, medical care, health, family, and society.
Currently, Tesla humanoid robots are progressing rapidly, and domestic related products are also rapidly being commercialized. Futu News has compiled some targets related to the humanoid robot industry chain for your reference:
Humanoid robots are a miracle of modern engineering and require a variety of components, such as actuators for movement, sensors for environmental interaction, advanced control systems for decision-making, reliable motors, chips for processing complex logic, cutting-edge software for operation, and communication systems to interact with the surrounding world. Every component is critical, and its manufacturing accuracy determines the robot's performance.
The supply chain for these components is large and very detailed, covering many industries and expertise. For humanoid robots, the first and most important thing is the manufacturer of actuators and sensors, which are the muscles and nerves of humanoid robots.$Sony (SONY.US)$,$Analog Devices (ADI.US)$,$INFINEON TECHNOLOG (IFNNY.US)$,$Rockwell Automation (ROK.US)$,$Mitsubishi Electric (6503.JP)$etc. are essential parts suppliers in the manufacturing process of humanoid robots.
Also,$NVIDIA (NVDA.US)$,$Qualcomm (QCOM.US)$Demand from chip companies has surged under the robotics boom. These companies' chips provide robots with “brains” to support robots to learn skills and complete tasks.
At the Nvidia 2024 GPU Technology Conference (GTC) held a few days ago, nine humanoid robots made the final appearance. Disney's small robots Orange and Green, equipped with Nvidia chips, were also special guests and interacted with Nvidia CEO Hwang In-hoon.
At the conference, Nvidia announced the launch of Project GR00T, a universal basic model for multi-modal humanoid robots. At the same time, Nvidia also released a new robot SoC (system-on-chip) Jetson Thor to support generative AI models, including the GR00T model described above.
Also, as humanoid robots require more advanced algorithms and machine learning capabilities, software development companies are becoming another major beneficiary.$Alphabet-A (GOOGL.US)$/$Alphabet-C (GOOG.US)$,$Microsoft (MSFT.US)$Other AI software providers are studying how to combine Gemini with robotics to physically interact with the world.
Demis Hassabis, CEO of DeepMind and representative of the Gemini team, said that true multimodal needs include touch and tactile feedback, and applying such multimodal models to robotics can give rise to many possibilities. “Over time, Gemini's multi-modal abilities will improve, and it will acquire more senses, including touch, and we are exploring this in depth.”
This means that Gemini can actually use human methods to understand the world around them, receive various types of data, including text, code, audio, images, and video, and give the same diverse responses, including manipulating robotic arms to give action responses. Humans are one step closer to general artificial intelligence.
It is worth noting that in addition to the hardware and software manufacturers mentioned above, humanoid robots require long-lasting and efficient energy solutions to keep the robot running.$YASKAWA Electric (6506.JP)$,$Fanuc (6954.JP)$Battery and motor manufacturers are also becoming more and more important.
Regarding the current popularity of the humanoid robot circuit, SDIC Securities said that industrial progress at home and abroad is accelerating, and humanoid robots will usher in the year when they land. CITIC Construction Investment is optimistic about the development prospects of the humanoid robot industry at home and abroad, and believes that with the continuous advancement of AI technology, robot application scenarios will be further expanded. According to the Haitong Securities Research Report, 2024 is expected to be the first year of mass production of humanoid robots against the backdrop of competing industrial capital and continuous iterative upgrading of generative AI large model technology.
Analysts said that with the continuous development of humanoid robots, there is huge room for profit growth in various industrial chains. From chip giants to software companies, investors may find lucrative industrial chain opportunities to invest in the rise of robots.
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