A recent Alpine Macro report suggests that industrial scale, not just computing power, determines AI supremacy.
The U.S. leads in frontier chips and software, but China dominates physical manufacturing and supply chains.
China’s 15th Five-Year Plan designates "embodied intelligence" as a key pillar with billions in funding.
According to the International Federation of Robotics, China installs over 295,000 industrial robots annually, compared to 34,200 in the U.S.
China uses state-funded "robot training farms" to gather real-world data, boosting AI learning.
Unitree reduced humanoid robot prices drastically, selling 3,551 units in nine months of 2025.
The U.S. relies on simulation-based training but remains dependent on Asian manufacturing.
China supplies 80-90% of key hardware components globally.
