ByteDance's original Robot No. 1 has joined Xiaomi, responsible for the development of the base model.

Confirmed by multiple independent sources, Kong Tao, the former head of ByteDance's robotics team, has joined Xiaomi, currently serving as the head of Xiaomi's robotics base model team. Several informed sources revealed that Kong Tao joined Xiaomi in the summer of 2025 and brought along several employees who initially worked at ByteDance. After joining Xiaomi Robotics, Kong Tao held one-on-one lengthy discussions with many employees to gauge the overall capability of the Xiaomi robotics team within the industry. Currently, Xiaomi's robotics division has about 200 personnel. The Xiaomi robotics division conducts research on various aspects of robots including their body, small brain, big brain, and even the robotic operating system. Additionally, different departments may also pre-research the same direction, such as world models. The base model team of Xiaomi Robotics is quite mysterious. The team led by Kong Tao has its own separate office space. During meetings held collectively by Xiaomi executives on Feishu, Kong Tao even doesnt have to show his face, revealed an insider close to Xiaomi Robotics. The Xiaomi robotics division also operates under a high level of confidentiality.