China's New RoboCop! Shenzhen Police Deploys Engine AI PM01 Humanoid Robots for Patrols

Engine AI is really leaning into the RoboCop aesthetic.

Videos circulating on social media show the buzzy Chinese startup's AI-powered humanoid robots patrolling the streets of Shenzhen. According to Chinese state media, it’s part of an experimental project merging artificial intelligence and law enforcement.

The deployment comes as the People's Republic increases its reliance on AI and robotics for public safety.

Will these humanoids evolve to match the abilities of the iconic robotic police officer from the 1987 film? Let’s get to the bottom of it.

Robots from Engine AI have been compared to RoboCop since the Shenzhen-based startup emerged from seemingly out of nowhere in fall 2024. The original RoboCop wasn't screened in China due to strict restrictions on foreign films at the time, but the reboot was a notable success.

Zhao Tongyang, a prominent figure in China’s expanding robotics sector, founded Engine AI in October 2023. The founder previously led the team at Xpeng Robotics that developed the Chinese EV maker’s first humanoid robot prototype, the PX5. Xpeng is now training its next-generation humanoid robot, named Iron, for industrial applications.

Zhao left Xpeng in 2023, quickly securing nearly $14 million dollars in angel seed funding to launch Engine AI. A year later, the startup's flagship, the SE01, immediately set a new benchmark for bipedal locomotion with its uncannily humanlike walking gait.

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