Cainiao has launched an industry partnership initiative for artificial intelligence and embodied intelligence, opening its global warehouse and logistics network to technology partners seeking real-world environments in which to train, validate and deploy AI systems.
The Hong Kong-based company said the initiative is intended to create the world’s largest logistics real-scene training cluster for AI and embodied intelligence.
The move reflects a broader shift in Asia’s technology sector, as AI moves beyond digital applications and into physical operations such as warehouse automation, delivery, inspection and industrial logistics.
Cainiao said it will provide dozens of industry-specific proof-of-concept scenarios, including warehouse picking, intelligent navigation and delivery, high-altitude inspection, security operations, aviation logistics and auto-parts management.
Real-world validation
Cainiao’s network spans domestic pickup, cross-border line-haul and overseas fulfilment, handling high volumes of multi-SKU shipments across multiple countries and operating environments. The company claims this scale can give embodied-intelligence companies a larger and more realistic environment for training and business validation than laboratory settings alone.
It has already deployed pilots across express delivery, e-commerce, fast-moving consumer goods and auto-parts scenarios. These cover basic tasks such as parcel feeding and labelling, precision tasks such as small-item sorting, and more complex long-horizon operations including palletising and depalletising.
William Xiong, chief executive of Cainiao Global, said the company wants to extend the logistics capabilities it developed for e-commerce into the AI and robotics sector.
“AI has become a new engine of productivity,” he said. “As AI and embodied intelligence move from the lab into real industry, we want to leverage our global network to help partners accelerate value creation.”
Supply-chain support
Alongside the partnership programme, Cainiao introduced “Global Tech in Three Days”, a service for AI-computing and robotics companies that provides end-to-end supply-chain support from prototype testing through to scaled delivery and overseas operations.
The offering combines Cainiao’s global express, air-freight and warehousing capabilities. It includes customs support, forward and reverse logistics, high-value cargo insurance, forward warehousing and spare-parts management.
Global express is designed for research testing, customer demonstrations, product fulfilment and small-batch replenishment. Global air freight is intended for large, high-value shipments such as AI infrastructure equipment, control systems and core modules, while the warehouse network supports regional stocking, multi-country warehousing and local delivery.
Xiong said the company aims to make the international expansion of intelligent technologies as straightforward as moving e-commerce parcels.
William Xiong
“We want to extend the global logistics capabilities we have built for e-commerce into AI and embodied intelligence. Our goal is to make intelligent technologies go global as efficiently and simply as e-commerce parcels.” William Xiong
Asia innovation ecosystem
Cainiao said it will continue expanding partnerships with technology companies and research institutions to advance AI validation and industrial applications.
It has signed initial cooperation agreements with leading firms in AI computing and embodied intelligence, with nearly 100 representatives from across the industry chain attending the launch event in Hong Kong.
