Alibaba launches RynnBrain AI model for robots, setting 16 records against Google and NVIDIA

China's Alibaba launches AI model to power robots as tech giants talk up 'physical AI'

A man walks past the Alibaba logo displayed at its booth during the China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing, China July 16, 2025. Alibaba on Tuesday launched an artificial intelligence model designed to power robotics, as more tech giants push into the fast-growing field. The model, called RynnBrain, is designed to help robots comprehend the physical world around them and identify objects. One video released by Alibaba's DAMO Academy shows a robot identifying fruit and putting it in a basket. While these tasks seem simple, they involve complex AI that governs a robot's understanding of individual items as well as movement. Robotics falls under the umbrella term dubbed "physical AI," which includes machines that rely on artificial intelligence, such as self-driving cars - an area China has prioritized as it competes with the U.S. for technological leadership.

Alibaba AI sets 16 records, beats Google and NVIDIA in robotics

The launch signals Alibaba's growing push into robotics, an area already attracting heavy investment from U.S. players like NVIDIA and Google. A short demonstration video released by Alibaba's DAMO Academy shows a robot recognizing fruit and placing it into a basket. The task appears simple. The intelligence behind it is not. The robot must identify objects, track their positions, and plan precise movements in real time. Alibaba positions RynnBrain as a foundational "embodied AI" model. That category includes robots, autonomous vehicles, and other machines that interact directly with the physical environment. China has made physical AI a national priority as competition with the United States intensifies. RynnBrain focuses on solving a major weakness in existing robotics models: poor memory of space and time. Traditional embodied AI systems often forget object locations or misinterpret scenes. Alibaba says RynnBrain addresses both problems through spatiotemporal memory.