As Chinese humanoid robot manufacturers ramp up international ambitions, OpenMind is positioning itself as a gateway to global markets. The US-based company develops OM1, an open-source, AI-native operating system designed specifically for robots, and sees an opportunity to provide the software layer and ecosystem support needed to scale abroad.
China is unquestionably ahead of the US in robotics hardware, OpenMind CEO Jan Liphardt said, pointing to the country’s vertically integrated supply chains and fierce domestic competition that accelerates iteration cycles.
He added that OpenMind is already collaborating with several Chinese firms – including Unitree Robotics, UBTech Robotics, AgiBot, LimX Dynamics, Booster Robotics and Engine AI – as they expand their focus beyond the Chinese market.
Silicon Valley sees growing presence of Chinese robotics
Chinese robotics companies have established a significant footprint in Silicon Valley, reflecting their growing engagement with the US technology ecosystem, Liphardt added. In addition to leading OpenMind, Liphardt serves as a professor of bioengineering at Stanford University.
He noted that closer coordination between OpenMind and Chinese robot manufacturers could help streamline regulatory, commercial and technical hurdles, making it easier for those firms to introduce and scale their products in the US market, the South China Morning Post reported.
Liphardt emphasized that running software developed and hosted in the US, with local data storage and cloud infrastructure, can help Chinese robotics firms deal with complex regulatory environments. He framed the philosophy behind OpenMind’s work in simple terms: if humans are going to coexist with machines, understanding how they think is essential.
OM1, the company’s AI-native operating system, is designed to be hardware-agnostic, enabling seamless deployment across a wide range of platforms, from quadrupeds and humanoids to wheeled robots and drones, giving developers flexibility to innovate without being tied to a specific robot chassis.
Multimodal AI drives decision-making in OpenMind-powered robots
OpenMind’s operating system integrates multimodal inputs – including vision, audio and spatial data – to create a unified model that determines a robot’s actions and converts them into precise hardware commands, Liphardt explained.
The company prioritizes applications where robots interact directly with humans, such as in retail environments, hospitals, and schools. Liphardt was clear that OpenMind has no plans to enter the industrial robotics market, noting that companies like Amazon have already established widespread adoption of factory and warehouse robots, making that space highly mature.
Moreover, OpenMind’s work with Chinese robotics companies goes beyond technology, extending into marketing support, said Gavin Wong, the company’s head of marketing based in San Francisco. Although several Chinese robotics firms are entering Western markets, many struggle to build brand recognition or cultivate a dedicated following outside Asia, Wong noted.
He explained that the type of content these firms produce often differs significantly from what resonates with Western audiences. By collaborating with OpenMind, he said, they can leverage localized marketing strategies and campaigns to better engage global customers and amplify their presence on the international stage.
Originally written by: Bojan Stojkovski
Source: Interesting Engineering
Published on: 22 February 2026
Link to original article: Chinese humanoid robot makers gain US-backed push into global markets amid tough challenge
