Hands-On Robotics Education
Chinese Robotics Company WhalesBot Expands Physical AI Education Centers, Collaborates with Peking University
WhalesBot, a Shanghai-based robotics company, has opened its second AI+Robotics Exploration Center in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, along with a nearly 5,000-square-meter facility in Anhui Province, according to PR Newswire. The move signals a growing belief that the future of AI education is physical — not digital.
The company is also building a three-floor, 5,400-square-meter AI learning center with Peking University, one of China's most prestigious schools. WhalesBot asked a simple question in its official statement: "What should children actually learn in the age of AI?"
Why Physical Robotics Centers Are Replacing Screen Time
Generative AI tools like ChatGPT can write code, generate images, and answer questions in seconds. That makes sitting at a screen and typing less valuable as a skill. WhalesBot argues the real value now lies in what AI cannot easily do: hands-on reasoning, physical experimentation, and debugging real hardware.
The company calls this approach "Embodied AI" — learning by touching, building, and breaking things. Its centers offer robotics kits, drones, engineering challenges, and competitions. WhalesBot's official whitepaper states plainly: "No STEM = No Real AI Learning."
China's Education Policy Created a Billion-Dollar Opening
In 2021, China banned for-profit tutoring in core subjects like math and English. The policy, called "Double Reduction," wiped out a huge industry overnight. It also pushed parents and capital toward "quality education" — a category that includes robotics and STEM.
WhalesBot was ready. By 2024, it had sold over 1,000,000 units globally and reached 30,000+ schools across 80+ countries, according to Yahoo Finance. Frost & Sullivan ranked it the No. 1 educational robotics company by global sales volume that year.
Peking University Partnership Bridges Kids and Higher Learning
WhalesBot's collaboration with Peking University is its most ambitious project yet. The planned center spans three floors, each over 1,800 square meters, for a total of roughly 5,400 square meters. It is designed to connect K-12 hands-on learning with university-level AI research.
The partnership carries real weight. Peking University is China's top-ranked institution. Having it as a partner gives WhalesBot academic credibility and signals that "off-screen" learning is not just for children — it is a serious educational philosophy.
A $14 Billion Market With Global Ambitions and Sharp Critics
China's robotics market hit $14.2 billion in 2026, up 47% year-over-year, according to the SVRC. WhalesBot has invested over $55 million in research and holds 270+ patents. The Chinese government has designated it a National "Little Giant" enterprise — a label for high-growth, strategically important companies.
Not everyone is cheering. Foreign analysts, including those cited by Forbes, argue China is forcing students into AI and robotics to solve a youth unemployment crisis — not purely for educational reasons. Youth unemployment among non-students stood at 16.9%. Critics also raise privacy concerns about AI-powered classroom robots collecting student data.
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