(Yicai) March 12 -- Xiaomi plans to nearly double its investment in core technology research and development in the next five years, the founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of the Chinese tech giant said at the Two Sessions, China's top policy-setting meetings.

Xiaomi will invest CNY200 billion (USD29 billion) to research and develop core technologies in the next five years, compared with CNY105 billion invested in the past five years, China Securities Journal reported Lei Jun as saying. He also outlined new scenarios for the deep integration of artificial intelligence, robotics, automotive, and smart manufacturing.

The automotive industry is mature, with hundreds of years of history, but Chinese smart connected new energy vehicles are bringing in new ideas, Lei noted. "Xiaomi is fortunate to be part of this era," he pointed out, adding that the firm will continue to increase its investments in areas such as smart driving, auto chips, and the three electric systems.

Xiaomi has been deeply engaged in embodied intelligence since 2021, when it released its first-generation quadruped robot, Lei said. The company's humanoid robots have already been deployed to car factories, achieving initial autonomous operations in scenarios such as self-tapping nut assembly and material box transportation.

In the future, Xiaomi will further explore the application of AI technology in the field of smart manufacturing, according to Lei.

"AI will definitely bring many new opportunities, but it will also replace many jobs," Lei predicted. "In this context, we all need to actively embrace the era of AI, which is no longer only applied to personal devices, such as smartphones, smart cars, and wearables, but is also accelerating its expansion into areas like smart homes and robotics.”

Lei advised tech entrepreneurs to act within their means and spend money wisely, focusing on key areas of innovation. "If you are a startup, you can concentrate on a small field within a larger direction," he noted. "Over the years, a number of outstanding startup companies, such as Nio, Xpeng Motors, Li Auto, DeepSeek, and Unitree Robotics, have emerged, each finding its own direction."

Editor: Futura Costaglione