Meta 与中国厂商 Fourier 合作造机器人原型 Max，这笔合作为何难以持久

X.PIN· @thexpin · X·2026-11-05 23:49· 27 分钟前AI 评分69

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Meta 机器人副总裁 Li-Chen Miller 据The Information报道在上海 Fourier 工厂驻场近两个月，合作造出可五指抓取小物件的原型 Max，仅耗时三个月，团队已在开发第二版。作者分析 Meta 选择中国供应链的原因在于低价、快速交付和现场支持，有工程师称快递可将定制件交付压到八小时以内；但美国政策限制和 Fourier 的商业化压力可能让合作难以持续。

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https://x.com/i/article/2118291592113274880

【X 长文】Why Meta Went to China to Build Its Robot, and Why the Deal May Not Last

For nearly two months, Meta’s vice president of robotics, Li-Chen Miller, worked out of a factory in Shanghai. The factory belongs to Fourier, a Chinese company helping Meta build a robot prototype called Max that can already use five-fingered hands to pick up small bottles and toys, according to The Information. By working with the Chinese robot maker, Meta aims to pull off a grand plan to power physical machines with its Muse AI model.

Still, this golden window for working together may not last long. U.S. policy limits, along with the pressure on Chinese companies to start making money, could soon get in the way.

Inside the Meta-Fourier Deal

According to The Information, Meta robotics VP Li-Chen Miller spent nearly two months at Fourier’s Shanghai factory helping build Max. The prototype took just three months to make. Meta showed it to some employees at an internal meeting in late August, and the team is already working on a second version.

However, industry sources gave Phoenix Tech a more modest view. They said Fourier works with both Meta and AWS, but mainly acts as an ODM, or contract manufacturer, supplying just a few custom test units. These projects are not big orders or long-term joint research deals. Fourier has put significant money into them, yet it is hard to get steady income in return.

Putting both accounts together, Meta came to Fourier to build a deeply customized robot for its own specs. Meta is also hiring engineers in Shanghai to track progress and help suppliers move from prototypes to mass production. In Shenzhen, Meta Robotics Studio is looking for project managers to handle robot planning and mass production as well.

As early as February 2025, Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth wrote in an internal memo that the robotics team would build consumer humanoid robots to make full use of its Llama AI platform.

So why did Meta turn to a Chinese maker?

Eight-Hour Shipping and Five Factories a Day

For Meta, finding a company that can build a robot is not hard. The hard part is building the exact robot it wants at a fair cost and on a tight schedule.

U.S. import limits on Chinese robots have not made the local U.S. supply chain any cheaper or more complete. Since Meta needs a research prototype it can change again and again, the low prices, fast delivery, and on-site support of Chinese suppliers matter even more.

A Meta spokesperson told The Information that the company, like its peers, has to buy parts that are hard to find inside the U.S. Still, the spokesperson stressed that the work with Fourier is only for internal research and testing, with no plans to sell these products right now.

Just three months ago, The Information reported on how U.S. startups buy robot parts in China. Employees at K-Scale Labs flew back and forth to China several times to bring dozens of actuators back to the U.S. These parts are key to making a robot move.

Another edge of China’s supply chain is speed. An engineer at Chinese robotics startup Booster Robotics told me his team uses express shipping firms like Kuayue Express to cut delivery times to under eight hours. That lets them get the latest custom parts as fast as possible. Getting those same parts in the U.S. could take months.

Picking parts in person also speeds up research. An employee at ARX Technology told me that in Zhuhai and Shenzhen, their team can visit five suppliers in a single day and lock in the models they need within days. And that is just a small startup of a dozen college students. Since many suppliers lack U.S. offices, going straight to China is often the better choice.

This explains why Meta is willing to send engineers to China. Still, building a fast prototype in China is a long way from selling robots to U.S. consumers.

A Good Story for an IPO, Not Yet a Business

What does Fourier get out of this?

Fourier started out over a decade ago making medical rehab equipment. Now it wants its humanoid robots to care for older people and patients. That is a tough jump. Taking care of people takes close contact and steady hands, almost like a real nurse. Fourier still has to prove its robots can actually do this job and make money.

After the robotics boom in 2025, investors are getting cautious. Chinese outlets 36Kr and Cailian Press recently reported that some investors have paused funding for robotics startups. Meanwhile, existing companies are looking to go public so early backers can cash out.

According to Phoenix Tech, Fourier has...

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