TECH – In a bold display of technological progress, humanoid robots have begun performing tasks in a shopping mall in China, sparking strong public interest. Reported by CNN Indonesia, these life-like robots operate in a “7S” store located in a bustling commercial district in Wuhan. Operated by the Hubei Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, the store has quickly become a showcase for how advanced robotics is entering everyday life.
The “7S” concept expands on the more traditional “4S” retail model (sales, service, spare parts, and survey) by adding solution, show, and school functions, creating a more integrated ecosystem. Visitors can not only purchase robots but also watch them perform, learn about maintenance, and even take educational courses to operate or program them.
Inside the store, more than 70 different types of humanoid robots are on display, with prices ranging from just a few hundred yuan to several hundred thousand. These robots perform a wide variety of tasks: some act as cashiers, others take on caregiving roles, and a number are built for industrial and entertainment purposes.
The store also functions as a training ground. Engineers and students can take maintenance and programming classes, while children can experience the robots in a hands-on way—playing football with them or watching robot boxing matches in a specially designed “experience zone.” According to Li Zhengxiang, chairman of the innovation center, the goal is to bring robotics into the public sphere and to let people interact with robots in a meaningful way.
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Wuhan, where this store is located, is emerging as a hub for the humanoid robotics industry. According to local officials, there are currently six complete robot-manufacturing companies based in the city, over 80 core enterprises, and nearly 1,000 related firms. The city is also supporting the sector through significant investment: officials plan to establish a 1-billion-yuan industrial fund to spur further development and aim to build a 100-billion-yuan robot industry cluster by 2027.
Observers believe that the store is more than just a tech demo: it is part of a larger drive in China to commercialize humanoid robotics at scale. As China pushes into “embodied AI,” bringing robots into service, caregiving, retail, and public functions, this initiative could help normalize human-robot interactions in daily life.
However, the accelerating presence of humanoid robots has also raised concerns among some analysts. There is debate about whether such automation could displace workers and how safety, reliability, and ethics will be managed. Yet, government and industry leaders remain confident that robots will complement human labor rather than replace it.
The Wuhan “7S” store thus represents a major milestone: not only a commercial venue for buying robots, but a platform for the public to experience, learn from, and adapt to a future where humanoid AI could become part of everyday life.
