Alibaba in China unveils a new AI model designed to power robots as major tech companies promote the rise of “physical AI.” The move signals the e-commerce giant’s growing ambitions beyond cloud computing and consumer technology, placing it firmly in the race to shape the future of intelligent machines.
On Tuesday, Alibaba introduced a new artificial intelligence system called RynnBrain, built specifically to support robotics applications. The model is designed to help robots better understand their surroundings, recognize objects, and interact more naturally with the physical world.
Teaching Robots to Understand Their Environment
In a demonstration video released by Alibaba’s DAMO Academy, a robot can be seen identifying different types of fruit and placing them into a basket. While the task appears straightforward, it requires highly sophisticated AI capabilities. The robot must distinguish between objects, interpret spatial relationships, and coordinate precise movements — all in real time.
These abilities fall under what industry experts call “physical AI” — a term used to describe artificial intelligence systems embedded in machines that operate in the real world. This includes everything from warehouse robots and humanoid assistants to autonomous vehicles.
China has made physical AI a national priority as it competes with the United States for leadership in advanced technologies. Robotics and self-driving systems are viewed as key pillars of future economic growth.
A Global Race in Robotics Intelligence
Alibaba’s announcement comes amid growing excitement around robotics worldwide. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has repeatedly described AI-powered robotics as a “multitrillion-dollar growth opportunity,” highlighting the sector’s long-term potential.
Global technology leaders are already investing heavily in so-called AI “world models” — systems that allow machines to simulate and interpret real-world environments. Nvidia has introduced its robotics-focused models under the Cosmos brand, while Google DeepMind has developed Gemini Robotics-ER 1.5 to advance similar capabilities.
Elon Musk, another strong advocate of robotics, is building AI systems for Tesla’s humanoid robot project, Optimus. In the field of humanoid robots specifically — machines designed to move and function like humans — Chinese companies are widely viewed as accelerating production plans and scaling up manufacturing this year.
Strengthening Alibaba’s AI Portfolio
For Alibaba, RynnBrain represents a strategic expansion of its AI ecosystem. The company has already gained attention for its Qwen family of large language models, considered among China’s most advanced AI systems. Entering the robotics space allows Alibaba to extend its influence from digital intelligence to real-world machine applications.
Like many of its AI offerings, Alibaba is adopting an open-source approach with RynnBrain. By making the model freely available to developers, the company aims to encourage global experimentation and adoption. Open-sourcing has been a cornerstone of Alibaba’s strategy to grow its AI community and accelerate innovation.
As competition intensifies and investment surges, physical AI is emerging as one of the most closely watched frontiers in technology. With RynnBrain, Alibaba is making clear that it intends to be a serious contender in shaping how intelligent machines interact with the world around them.
