BEIJING – Chinese robot vacuum cleaner maker Roborock unveiled a new model on Monday equipped with a folding arm for removing socks and other obstacles – a feature powered by artificial intelligence.

It’s the latest step toward what Roborock President Quan Gang expects to be inevitable: that robot vacuum cleaners will become as essential as washing machines.

That could happen in as little as three years, especially with the advent of AI, Quan said in an interview with CNBC in late November. “When the era of flourishing AI truly arrives, I am confident that robot vacuum cleaners will be the first category where AI will be used,” he said in Mandarin, translated by CNBC.

Using AI developed by the company, the Roborock Saros Z70 can detect and remove obstacles such as socks, small towels, handkerchiefs and sandals weighing less than 300 grams (10.58 ounces), according to the company.

The Saros Z70 is expected to arrive in major global markets in the first half of the year, but Roborock has not yet announced pricing. The product launch comes ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show, which begins on Tuesday in Las Vegas.

Based in Massachusetts since then iRobot Although the company released its Roomba floor vacuum robot in 2002, the circular machines expanded to include mopping functions and the ability to automatically return to the charging base. Many companies, including several based in China, now sell robot vacuum cleaners.

Beijing-based Roborock began selling to the U.S. in 2018, Quan said, noting that sales in the country only began to increase in 2023. Roborock also sells and manufactures its robot vacuum cleaners in countries such as Germany, China and South Korea, making sure to comply with local data protection regulations, Quan said.

But penetration rates of robot vacuum cleaners remain low — just over 10% in developed countries and single digits in developing countries, Quan said. He said this is both a challenge and a potential for growth, which he believes can be given a boost by incorporating artificial intelligence.

Late last year, The Verge and Wired named various Roborock models the best robot vacuum cleaner on the market. But the machines are not cheap.

“Roborock’s S8 MaxV Ultra ($1,799.99) is an exceptional vacuum cleaner,” said The Verge, noting that it is “the best model in the relatively new category of ‘hands-free’ robot vacuums, bots that are practical do everything for you: empty your trash cans, fill up your mop containers and clean and dry your mop pads.

“Roborock invented this category with the S7 MaxV Ultra and has continually improved it,” said The Verge.

Wired chose Roborock’s Qrevo S, which sells for $800 on Amazon. The test highlighted the Qrevo’s lidar-based navigation and AI feature, which allows the device to differentiate between carpets and tiles for vacuuming and mopping, respectively.

The competition is tough. CNET said two other companies’ robot vacuums took the same spot in 2025: the $900 Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo – which also features a self-emptying trash can – and the $359 iRobot Roomba Combo J7 Plus.

Shares of Shanghai-listed Roborock closed 2.6% higher on Friday after reports emerged about the Saros Z70 and its robotic arm. The stock rose 10.3% in 2024.

Operating revenue rose 23.2% to 7 billion yuan ($960 million) in the first three quarters of 2024, with profit of 1.47 billion yuan. Roborock does not break down sales by region.

Quan said that soon after Roborock was founded in July 2014, the company realized the importance of artificial intelligence and set up its own laboratory in Shanghai and a research institute in Shenzhen. Each site houses around 30 researchers who only need to focus on technology, unlike the product development team, which has to meet deadlines and focus on profit, Quan said.

The next challenge is to increase the number of researchers to around 300 people, Quan said, pointing out that it is difficult to find qualified talent.

The company spent 9.1% of its operating revenue on research and development in the first three quarters of 2024, according to CNBC calculations from public figures. That’s up from just over 7% in each of the last three years, the data showed.

Roborock also announced updates to its washing machines on Monday that can dry clothes in the same unit.

—CNBC’s Sonia Heng contributed to this report.