An application programming interface is a set of rules and tools that allows different software systems to communicate with each other. It defines how applications request data or services and how those requests are processed and returned. APIs are widely used to connect apps, platforms, and services, making it easier to integrate features like payments, maps, AI models, or user authentication. In AI and automation, APIs enable developers to access models, datasets, and system functions without building everything from scratch. They are a core building block of modern software ecosystems.
JD.com founder Richard Liu said at the APEC China CEO Forum that robots will replace the company’s 700,000 delivery workers “sooner or later”, pairing the prediction with a retraining program called Nirvana that aims to move couriers into robot maintenance and AI training roles before automation arrives.
U.S. industrial robot installations grew 11% year-on-year to 38,000 units in 2025, according to the International Federation of Robotics, with food industry adoption surging 30% as the country climbs to eighth globally in robot density – still roughly ten times behind China’s annual installation pace.
KUKA has opened an immersive showroom at its Augsburg headquarters featuring two industrial robots moving a 65-inch display in synchronized choreography in front of a large-scale Samsung LED backdrop, combining robotics demonstration with commercial display technology.