JD.com Advances Embodied AI at WAIC 2025, Eyes Future of Intelligent Robots in Daily Life

AsianFin — JD.com unveiled a slew of AI breakthroughs on the final day of the 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), reinforcing its commitment to “embodied intelligence” — the integration of AI models with physical robots and smart devices.

The Chinese e-commerce and tech giant upgraded its Yanxi large language model to the new JoyAI, open-sourced the JoyAgent intelligent agent platform, and launched JoyInside, a dedicated embodied intelligence brand. The company also announced partnerships with robotics innovators such as Fuzozo — dubbed the “AI version of Labubu” — Huohuotu, and several educational and industrial tech firms, signaling an expansive ecosystem push.

He Xiaodong, JD.com Senior Vice President and Deputy Director of the JD Exploration Research Institute, said in a post-event group interview that while public expectations around embodied AI are high, substantial technical hurdles remain before robots can seamlessly operate in real-world environments.

“Controlling dexterous hands and integrating large models with robotics for precise object localization is still far from human-level capability,” He said. However, he expressed optimism, noting that once AI products reach consumers, rapid iteration and improvement typically follow — as seen with intelligent driving technologies.

He cautioned against the commercialization approach of selling large language model API tokens, likening it to the “smart speaker wars” that devolved into price competition and diminished user experience. Instead, He advocated for monetizing AI through core products that deliver unique value and superior user experiences.

JD.com’s AI portfolio is vast. Its large models span from 3-billion to 750-billion parameter scales, with several benchmarked against GPT-4o. The company has invested over RMB 140 billion in R&D since 2017, including RMB 17 billion last year alone. These investments underpin AI integration across JD’s logistics, retail, and customer service operations.

The company has built out specialized teams and launched open-source projects like JD ManiData, China’s first dual-arm mobile robot dataset. Embodied intelligence applications currently include home-use robots capable of coffee-making with an 80% success rate in complex environments.

JD.com is also actively investing in startups focused on embodied intelligence. Recent funding rounds led by JD include Spirit AI, Engine AI, and Limx Dynamics, demonstrating JD’s broad view of embodied intelligence — encompassing humanoid robots, robotic arms, and other interactive devices.

He described robots as future companions and knowledge tools akin to “walking search engines,” with potential applications ranging from pet-like companions to mobile platforms assisting with daily tasks such as food delivery.

At WAIC, JD.com also introduced JoyInside’s embodied intelligence ecosystem program, offering flexible integration through SDKs, plug-and-play modules, and APIs. This initiative supports a broad partner network, including AI toy maker Fuzozo, which has adopted a subscription-based revenue model for its conversational agents.

Looking ahead, JD.com foresees embodied intelligence following a path similar to autonomous driving, starting with incremental capabilities fueled by vast data collection and user feedback.

“Imagine walking a robotic dog in the park while chatting with it — a future where robots are ubiquitous household companions,” He said.

With ongoing investments in AI talent and technology, JD.com aims to accelerate the commercialization of embodied AI, positioning itself at the forefront of China’s next wave of intelligent robotics innovation.