JD.com has officially entered the embodied artificial intelligence industry by starting construction of its first robotic base in Guangzhou. The company is investing $1.4 billion to create a nationwide RoboBase network, planning to purchase 300 million robots and establish over 80 such bases across China.
The first base in Guangzhou, valued at approximately 1 billion yuan, is intended to focus on embodied AI, industrial and service robots, as well as supply chain enterprises from raw materials to final products. Construction is expected to be completed by 2028, with full production capacity reached by 2030, yielding an annual output of 1.75 billion yuan.
The RoboBase initiative marks a strategic shift for JD.com: the company is transforming from a logistics infrastructure operator into an embodied AI ecosystem platform. Founder Richard Liu stated that JD plans to deploy over 80 RoboBase facilities nationwide. Over the next five years, its subsidiary JD Logistics intends to acquire 3 million robots, 1 million autonomous vehicles, and 100,000 drones to automate the entire supply chain, from warehouses to last-mile delivery.
It is important to note that JD.com does not engage in direct robot manufacturing but acts as a platform orchestrator. The company provides four levels of support: supply chain integration using JD's extensive retail and industrial ecosystem to reduce costs and expand markets; technological support through JD.com's open large models and national-scale data centers; real-world testing scenarios, including JD MALL stores, logistics parks, and pharmacies; and capital backing via strategic investment funds and JD Finance.
JD has actively invested in embodied AI startups since 2025. Portfolio companies include LimX Dynamics (humanoid locomotion), Zhiyuan Robot (general-purpose humanoid), Zhongqing Robot, Pasini, and RoboScience. The co-creation model is already showing results: Songyan Power sold over 500 robots within two days of debuting on the JD platform. This year, JD aims to achieve 10 billion yuan in robot sales on its platform, and within three years, help 100 brands exceed 1 billion yuan each.
RoboBase partners in Guangzhou include Zhiyuan Robot, Leju Robot, Qingtong Vision, and GAC Huilun Technology. The head of operations at Zhiyuan Robot confirmed that robots are already in use at Guangzhou metro stations, and the company has formed a joint venture with Guangzhou Metro to expand implementation. Furthermore, JD addresses post-sale maintenance in robotics by utilizing its JD Service+ network of thousands of trained technical specialists to create a national system for robot repair and maintenance.
Current events reflect a moment of industry maturity: the cost of robot hardware is decreasing, and AI capabilities are improving. Nevertheless, three critical obstacles remain: lack of real implementation scenarios, stable sales channels, and sustainable capital for development. JD addresses all these issues simultaneously through its platform approach. The Guangdong provincial government signed a comprehensive strategic agreement with JD Group on July 11, covering the digital economy, smart logistics, and robotics manufacturing, indicating strong political support for this model.
