The Chinese Academy of Engineering has published a comprehensive paper titled "Embodied AI Development Trends and Prospects" in China Engineering Science journal (2026, Issue 2). Authored by the team led by academician Zheng Nanning, the paper provides an in-depth analysis of embodied AI's concepts, connotations, computational frameworks, and system implementations.
The paper systematically reviews the current state of embodied AI development globally, identifies key trends, and analyzes challenges facing the industry. It particularly highlights the critical role of generative AI technologies—including large language models, multimodal models, and emerging "Information-Physics-Cognition" tri-domain fusion models—in accelerating embodied AI evolution.
Key research directions identified include:
- Emergent mechanisms of generative AI capability
- Tri-domain fusion models integrating perception, cognition, and action
- Cloud-edge collaborative distributed architectures
- Multi-agent systems driven by embodied intelligence
- Lightweight generative model deployment
- Intelligent humanoid robot systems
The paper also provides strategic recommendations for China's embodied AI development, emphasizing the need to accelerate core technology research, establish systematic strategic layouts, and seize opportunities in the global AI competition.
