Before the factory floor, the dance floor: humanoids find a path to market at US$145

Before humanoid robots realise their longer-term potential as efficient industrial workers, a more immediate role is emerging in China: on-demand entertainment. For 999 yuan (US$145), customers can now rent a humanoid robot to dance, perform and pose to order.

That proposition is being trialled by Botshare – known in Chinese as Qingtianzu, or “Optimus rent” – which last weekend rolled out a “999 yuan robot experience programme for everyone” ahead of Valentine’s Day and the Lunar New Year.

Shanghai-based robot maker Agibot, the platform’s main backer, staged a pre-recorded “robot gala” on Sunday to promote the service, featuring machines performing skits, dancing, singing and even kung fu routines.

Accessible via a WeChat mini programme, the service offers tailored performances for occasions such as birthday parties, Valentine’s dates and festive gatherings.

Dressed in themed costumes, the robots – including Agibot’s compact X2 humanoid and full-sized A2 model – are programmed to dance, gesture and interact in ways designed to match the mood.

The headline price is 999 yuan for a 90-minute session, with an engineer on site to set up and fine-tune the equipment. The service is currently available in a limited number of cities, including Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou.

Launched in December, Botshare markets itself as a “robot-as-a-service” platform, part of a broader push to find viable commercial pathways for humanoids as real-world applications have yet to match expectations.