China's AI boom fuels 73.3% surge in robot reducer output

China's output of robot reducers, a core joint component, soared 73.3% year on year in the first four months of 2026, with industrial robot production expanding 25.7%, official data showed on Monday, as artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape China's industrial landscape.

The electronics sector also powered ahead, with value-added for computer, communication and other electronic equipment manufacturing rising 14% in January-April. In April, electronic components and smart equipment manufacturing grew 16.4% and 14.3%, respectively, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Behind the production boom, a build-out of computing infrastructure drove fixed-asset investment in information transmission up 29.2%. Equipment purchases by internet firms surged 81.8%, while investment in integrated circuit manufacturing grew 11.6%. In price channels, optic fiber manufacturing prices soared 115.9% in April, and non-ferrous metal smelting prices climbed 22.5%, reflecting strong AI-driven demand.

The AI effect extended to services, with the information transmission, software and IT services index gaining 11.7% in April. Integrated circuit exports jumped 78.3% in the first four months, underscoring China's growing role in global tech supply chains. An NBS spokesperson said these new growth drivers, from embodied intelligence to drone delivery, are strengthening the economy's resilience.