Humanoid robots have officially broken new ground by securing speaking slots at Web Summit, listed directly on the official 2026 roster. Yet, the sharpest critique regarding the current state of humanoid robotics in Lisbon came not from a machine, but from a human representative of the planet's highest-selling manufacturer.

Agibot's European Lead Takes Aim at Industry Rivals

William Shi, steering European operations for Agibot, took the stage during the opening night of the Lisbon conference to address the competitive landscape. He pulled no punches when evaluating market peers.

We have some competitors like … Optimus from Tesla … and also Figure AI, and also Unitree.

Shi wasted no time delivering pointed jabs at each contender. Addressing Tesla's Optimus, he noted that the public rarely sees unscripted, real-world functionality, relying instead on curated videos powered by the formidable marketing presence of Elon Musk. Turning his attention to Figure AI, Shi remarked that while factory demonstration footage is common, their models lack rhythm. Conversely, he quipped that Unitree machines excel solely at dancing rather than labor.

The Dual Strategy: Productivity Meets Performance

Naturally, Shi positioned Agibot as the ultimate synthesis of both approaches, boasting:

  • Initial entertainment through dancing displays
  • Over 1,000 active robotic units deployed across various factory floors in China

This candid banter injected much-needed personality into a sector frequently dominated by corporate gravity. It marks a rare instance of top executives publicly calling out their competitors on an international stage.

Inside the 2026 Web Summit Robot Showcase

Web Summit kicked off on November 9 with four Chinese-engineered robots formally registered as speakers: Agibot’s A3 and PrimeBOT Q1 alongside Galbot’s G1 and ET1. Rather than serving as mere props or passive demonstrations, they held principal spots alongside industry founders and policymakers throughout the four-day event.

However, the live execution revealed noticeable hurdles. Unsurprisingly, none delivered a solo monologue; instead, the hardware struggled significantly with presenter inquiries. Certain models experienced sluggish wake-up sequences, while others inadvertently interrupted fellow speakers, underscoring the substantial room left for engineering refinement.

Market Dominance and Shipping Metrics

Agibot certainly backs its confidence with heavy industry metrics. Headquartered in Shanghai, the firm shipped roughly 5,100 units throughout 2025, capturing a 39 percent global market share. Market research firm IDC reports that Agibot dispatched over 8,600 humanoid units during the first half of 2026 alone, accounting for approximately 35 percent of the global market.

Combining these figures points to roughly 13,700 shipped units by mid-2026. With over 1,000 operating in factory settings, the majority of the fleet is dedicated elsewhere—primarily to physical AI research, educational deployments, retail environments, and entertainment.

Assessing the Counter-Claims: Unitree, Figure, and Tesla

Shi’s critique of Unitree strikes a chord because the compact G1 has firmly established itself as the go-to platform for academic labs and viral choreography videos. Unitree even launched a dedicated humanoid app store encouraging customized movement. However, the claim that they 'never work' requires qualification; a team at UC San Diego utilized off-the-shelf Unitree G1 units to execute live surgical procedures on a porcine model over the summer. Furthermore, public markets validated Unitree's trajectory with a massive 629 percent IPO surge in August.

Conversely, Figure AI likely views Shi’s remarks as validation. American robotics firms have overwhelmingly prioritized functional labor over party tricks. Figure is currently investing heavily in human training data collection, reporting a sixfold increase in operational success rates within four weeks. Dancing is likely not keeping CEO Brett Adcock awake at night.

Tesla’s positioning, meanwhile, remains uniquely dependent on controlled demonstrations and the robust advocacy of Elon Musk, making Shi’s assessment difficult to dispute.

Determining which enterprise will ultimately lead the humanoid race remains a challenge for the future. While Agibot commands shipment volumes, true large-scale industrial productivity remains an elusive milestone for the entire sector. As Shi aptly summarized: It’s very hard to say who will be better. Maybe next year the robots will do their own trash talking—provided they wake up on time.