Embodied AI Jobs Surge 6-7x Year-on-Year, Outpacing Talent Supply

From January to July 2026, the number of newly posted domestic jobs in the embodied intelligence sector surged by approximately 6 to 7 times year-over-year, while the supply of relevant talent grew by only 3 to 4 times during the same period. According to Lin Fan, founder and CEO of Maimai, the average salary for embodied intelligence roles is currently about two-thirds that of large-model positions. From January to April 2026, the embodied intelligence hiring index rose 15-fold year-over-year, with the average monthly salary increasing from RMB 58,700 to RMB 61,600. In contrast, during the same period, AI scientist/lead roles in large-model algorithm positions commanded average monthly salaries exceeding RMB 130,000. Currently, talent entering the embodied intelligence industry primarily comes from five areas: native embodied intelligence research, traditional internet companies, large models, autonomous driving and automotive sectors, and smart hardware—with professionals from autonomous driving and automotive fields emerging as a key source. As robotics companies advance into mass production, delivery, and commercial validation stages, hiring demand has expanded across multiple job categories, including mechanical engineering, electronic control, perception, algorithms, systems engineering, and supply chain management.