AgiBot, the Chinese robotics company that recently claimed the global top spot in humanoid robot shipments, has partnered with Vietnam's National Innovation Center (NIC) to build out an embodied AI industry and talent pipeline in the country1,3.
Vietnam held its first embodied AI conference on October 2 at NIC's Hoa Lac campus in Hanoi, organized as part of Vietnam's National Innovation Day 20262. The event, titled "The New Era of Productivity Powered by Embodied AI: Vietnam – Southeast Asia's Pillar," was co-organized by NIC, AgiBot, Great Education Technology Group, and ECOLIV Technology.
Conference scope and demonstrations
AgiBot presented humanoid robots, quadruped robots, wheeled robots, and embodied AI solutions targeting education, research, and industrial applications. The conference examined emerging business models including Robot as a Service.
Hoang Trung Hieu, deputy director of NIC, said embodied AI is expected to drive a breakthrough in labor productivity across manufacturing, logistics, agriculture, healthcare, and services. Hieu added that AI was moving beyond digital environments into the physical world, increasingly powering robots, autonomous devices, and smart production lines. He said embodied AI can help address labor shortages, improve workplace safety, and enhance the quality of economic growth.
Agreements and infrastructure
NIC, AgiBot, ECOLIV Technology, and Great Education Technology Group plan to continue cooperation in research, workforce development, industrial applications, and the development of a local embodied AI ecosystem. The agreements cover training programs, joint laboratories, lecturer training, practical activities for students, and collaborative research projects.
Great Education Technology Group signed strategic cooperation agreements with the University of Engineering and Technology at Vietnam National University, Hanoi; the School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering at Hanoi University of Industry; and the Vietnam Association of Vocational Education and Training.
NIC plans to leverage infrastructure at Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park to facilitate technology demonstrations, trials, and sandbox programs for embodied AI, mobile robotics, and smart manufacturing.
AgiBot's trajectory
The Vietnam push follows a period of rapid expansion for AgiBot. The company overtook Unitree Robotics in the first half of 2026 to claim the top global position in humanoid robot shipments, as China accounted for 77.9% of global volume[1]. On September 24, AgiBot delivered its 20,000th general-purpose embodied AI robot and launched a 300-plus robot deployment at Chimelong Spaceship Park in Zhuhai[2].
ANALYSIS The Vietnam partnership marks AgiBot's first publicly reported move to seed an embodied AI ecosystem in Southeast Asia, pairing hardware demonstrations with academic and workforce agreements rather than a pure product-export model.