Shi Xiaoxin, senior director of product planning at Xpeng’s robotics arm, left the company earlier this month, according to 36Kr.
Shi spent more than four years at Xpeng’s robotics business, a period that covered the integration of Pengxing Intelligence, the team’s incorporation into Xpeng, and the full development cycle of the Iron humanoid robot, from prototype iteration to production preparation. He was one of the early figures involved in building Xpeng’s humanoid product system from the ground up.
Shi holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Nanjing University and a master’s degree in information technology from the University of Technology Sydney. Earlier in his career, he worked overseas in commercial service robotics and oversaw Aldebaran’s Nao robot as Asia-Pacific technical lead. He led several robotics deployment projects at major international technology exhibitions and was among China’s early specialists in humanoid interaction and product implementation.
Around 2021, Shi joined Xpeng’s robotics business. In 2023, after Xpeng completed its acquisition of Pengxing Intelligence and formally committed to developing the Iron humanoid robot, Shi became the product lead responsible for defining the full Iron product line and deploying Iron as an in-store guide.
Public information shows Shi remained active in the field as recently as May, when he spoke as a guest lecturer at ShanghaiTech University about Xpeng’s approach to mass production design for humanoid robots. His departure one month later came as the company prepared for Iron’s next production phase.
Xpeng has not officially announced any personnel change. The timing is notable because 2026 is expected to be a decisive year for Iron’s production rollout. Xpeng chairman He Xiaopeng has said the next-generation Iron robot will be unveiled in the fourth quarter, with scaled production by year’s end and commercial deliveries in China and overseas in 2027. In the first quarter of this year, Xpeng began building a full-chain humanoid robot production base in Guangzhou.
Shi’s next move is unclear. Multiple sources said he is not currently looking for a job. One person familiar with the matter said Shi has turned down offers from several leading robotics companies and new energy vehicle makers, and plans to take a short break before deciding on his next role.
KrASIA features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This article was written by Chen Tong and Fang Tingyu for 36Kr.