Meta’s humanoid robot was developed in collaboration with a Chinese company. According to The Information, Meta partnered with Shanghai-based Fourier Intelligence to build its first humanoid robot prototype, Max, in just three months. Development of the second-generation model, Max 2, has already begun. Max stands about 1.5 meters tall, weighs approximately 48 kilograms, is powered by NVIDIA’s Jetson Thor chip, features a five-fingered mechanical hand, and can simulate facial expressions via a display screen. Meta’s Vice President of Robotics even spent nearly two months at Fourier’s Shanghai factory, personally involved in the development process. More notably, Meta aims to eventually use these humanoid robots as physical embodiments of its AI agent, Muse, enabling them to enter homes and perform everyday tasks. Currently, Meta emphasizes that these robots are solely for internal R&D and have no plans for commercial sale. This is intriguing: while American tech giants invest heavily in AI models and software, when it comes to building humanoid robots, they must turn to Chinese factories and collaborate with Chinese startups on hardware development. This is especially significant given the U.S. government’s increasing restrictions on China’s robotics industry—yet Meta still chose to partner with Fourier Intelligence, even assigning senior executives to work on-site. China’s robotics supply chain may play a more critical role in the global competition for embodied AI than many realize.