U.S. and China Hold Summit as Robotics Development Advances in Beijing

ABC News anchor and managing editor David Muir traveled to one of the largest artificial intelligence developer conferences in China to observe the machines. Muir came face-to-face with a humanoid robot produced by a Chinese robotics company.

The robot, known as Oli and part of the G1 line, stands 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 121 pounds. It marched forward during the demonstration. "The future is walking right towards us," Muir said. Developers stated that the robot is programmed to perform household chores including folding clothes, washing dishes, cleaning and making the bed.

They told Muir this represents only an initial stage of its development. The robot can mimic human waist and hip movements. This allows it to lay down and sit back up on its own, which developers described as a significant technical advance.

Beyond domestic tasks, the robot's flexibility was tested in extreme conditions. It walked through deep snow in Northwestern China at Arctic-level temperatures and moved on rollerblades and ice skates. The company said the G1 robot will assist in factory labor in addition to home use.

Officials stated it will not replace humans but will take on some tasks currently performed by people. "I mean, I can still fold faster than the robot," Muir said. Some estimates indicate that Chinese humanoid robots account for nearly 80 percent of worldwide sales.

A conference attendee told Muir that China is leading the artificial intelligence race in robotics. Muir responded with a smile. Just this week, the company revealed its newest model, the GD-01.