Xiaomi unveils revolutionary robot-operated smartphone factory in Beijing

Chinese technology giant Xiaomi is not slowing down. President Lei Jun announced the opening of the first factory to be operated exclusively by robots. This facility is expected to produce phones around the clock, seven days a week.

Technology and automotive corporations are constantly competing to create new products that meet consumer expectations. To this end, enormous factories are being built that employ thousands of people. Thanks to modern devices, some of their work is automated. However, it turns out that building a factory where only robots work is possible.

The Xiaomi Smart Factory is located in Beijing's Changping district. Lei Jun assures that thanks to artificial intelligence, the robots will be able to produce up to 30,000 smartphones per day. The Xiaomi Smart Factory is set to manufacture the brand’s flagship phone models, such as the Xiaomi MIX Fold 4 and Xiaomi MIX Flip.

The new factory covers an area of approximately 81,000 square metres (approximately 870,000 square feet) and houses 11 production lines. The construction costs amounted to 2.4 billion renminbi (approximately 337 million USD). The factory's robots are set to work around the clock, which will allow even faster smartphone production. Ultimately, the factory aims to produce 10 million phones annually.

Xiaomi General Manager Lei Jun boasted about the massive investment in social media. He wrote on the X platform: "The next-generation Xiaomi smart factory in Changping, Beijing, is now operational. We invested 2.4 billion RMB in this facility, covering 81,000 square metres, capable of producing 10 million flagship phones annually. The new models, the Xiaomi MIX Fold 4 and MIX Flip will be produced here. At the same time, we also opened the electric car factory this year. I guess I can now be called Factory Manager Lei!"

Lei Jun posted videos on the X platform showcasing the robots that will build Xiaomi-brand phones from scratch. The new solution may raise concerns among potential employees of the Chinese giant's other factories, as they face the prospect of being replaced by robots.