Chinese robotics firm UBTECH has started delivering what social media users are calling “cyber boyfriends” and “cyber girlfriends.” The company’s U1 companion humanoid robots began shipping in September, and dealership sales expanded this month across China and South Korea.
The U1 comes in both male and female versions standing 183 cm and 168 cm tall. Its silicone skin features visible pores, blood vessels, and fingerprints for a hyper-realistic look. The robot also has 88 servo joints that cover 90% of basic human actions, according to the company. In addition, it can hold conversations, maintain eye contact, and respond to more than 20 human emotions with over 90% accuracy.
UBTECH offers three variants at very different price points. The U1 Lite starts at 119,800 yuan (around Rs4.7 million), while the U1 Pro costs 169,800 yuan (around Rs6.7 million). The top-end U1 Ultra reaches 990,000 yuan (around Rs39 million) for the male version and 880,000 yuan (around Rs34.6 million) for the female version. However, the company sells all versions only to adults.
The robot runs its emotional AI model locally on a Rockchip RK3588 processor. This means all user data stays on the device rather than uploading to the cloud. Furthermore, UBTECH says the AI builds long-term companionship through continuous emotional interaction.
Orders have passed 13,000 units since the June 30 launch, though UBTECH has set a realistic delivery target of 1,500 to 2,000 units for 2026. Meanwhile, South Korea’s Galaxy Robot Park opened a dedicated “U1 World” showroom in Seoul’s Gangdong district this month. In addition, Beijing’s Bosch Group has started selling U1 units through Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai car dealerships.
UBTECH currently leads China’s humanoid robot market with 16,123 units shipped in the first half of 2026 across all models. The company’s H1 revenue also reached 1.269 billion yuan, up 104.2% year over year. Consequently, chief branding officer Tan Min said the companion robot industry “will grow from tens of billions of yuan to trillions of yuan between 2026 and 2036.”