In Beijing, a new cleaning service is pairing human workers with AI-powered robots in an effort to ease household chores. Lin Meiqiong, a 56-year-old cleaner, recently began working alongside the Quanta X1 Pro, a wheeled robot equipped with cameras and mechanical claws developed by Chinese robotics firm X Square. The service, launched in March by 58.com in partnership with X Square, currently operates in Beijing and Shenzhen, offering three-hour cleaning sessions at a cost of 149 yuan (approximately $22).

During a recent cleaning assignment, the Quanta X1 Pro assisted Lin by identifying messes via its cameras, picking up rubbish, and even folding clothes. While the robot’s performance in tasks such as folding trousers was slow and sometimes awkward—comparable to a novice learning the skill—it nonetheless reduced some of Lin’s workload. Future upgrades planned for the Quanta X1 Pro include voice command responsiveness and conversational abilities, according to X Square engineer Hu Bowen.

Since the service’s introduction, about 200 households have tried the AI cleaning robot. Advertiser Tan Pei, a customer in Beijing, described the experience as a mix of novelty and modest utility, noting that while the technology is not flawless, it succeeded in surprising her with some of its capabilities like folding clothes relatively well. Despite impressive demonstrations of robots performing choreographed dances and martial arts moves, their practical use in everyday settings remains limited.

For robotics companies such as X Square, deploying imperfect robots in real environments is primarily an exercise in data collection for “embodied AI”—a form of artificial intelligence trained on physical world experience rather than large datasets available online. Christoforos Mavrogiannis of the University of Michigan explained that real-world use provides valuable insights that laboratory settings cannot replicate since a shared “robot internet” environment for training does not yet exist. Hu Bowen noted that sending robots into unfamiliar homes presents challenges but delivers critical information that drives robotic advancement.

China’s investment in embodied AI is rapidly expanding, with over 57.7 billion yuan ($8.5 billion) poured into the sector this year alone, surpassing last year’s total. In addition to household cleaning, robots are undergoing testing in other practical roles such as traffic direction in Hangzhou and factory work. Another company, GigaAI, plans to introduce 100 humanoid robots in households across central Wuhan later this year for free trial runs.

However, several obstacles remain before widespread adoption becomes feasible. Robotic dexterity still lags behind human capability, particularly in fine motor tasks such as manipulating objects. Regulatory and safety concerns further complicate deployment, with experts citing unresolved privacy issues related to the sensitive personal data robots collect inside homes. Valeria Alessandra Macalupu Chira of Queensland University of Technology highlighted the lack of clarity over data storage and access, while Yang Jianfei from Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University emphasized the absence of industry-wide safety standards and the current need for human supervision and emergency stop controls.

While the prospect of robots transforming the domestic help sector draws significant interest, experts agree the technology remains in its early stages. Lin Meiqiong, reflecting on her experience, expressed cautious optimism but acknowledged the technology was far from replacing human cleaners. “Compared with people, it’s obviously still not quite there,” she said. “After all, it’s a robot.”