- However, Li Auto employees are more eager to see statements on how to reverse weak sales.
- Li Auto will launch humanoid robots and unveil them as soon as possible.
Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI, HKG: 2015) founder, chairman, and CEO Li Xiang reiterated the company's emphasis on AI during an internal meeting, though employees were more eager to hear about strategies to reverse the sluggish sales trend.
Li convened a nearly two-hour online meeting for all employees on Monday morning Beijing time, with most of the content focused on his insights into AI trends, according to a report by local media outlet 21jingji.
The all-hands meeting was convened very last minute with no prior notice. "We were informed last night that this meeting wasn't open to all employees, only a select group would participate," a Li Auto employee told 21jingji.
Li emphasized during the meeting that 2026 represents the final window of opportunity for any company aspiring to become a leading AI player, while Level 4 autonomous driving will be achievable by 2028 at the latest.
Li Auto will further strengthen its brand positioning as an embodied intelligence company, not merely as a creator of mobile homes, Li said.
Beyond automobiles, the company will launch humanoid robots and unveil them as soon as possible, according to the Li Auto CEO, as reported by 21jingji.
Li Auto will restructure its teams to prepare for AI competition. This includes reorganizing R&D into foundational models, software, and hardware divisions, with both vehicles and robots falling under the hardware team.
Notably, amid Li Auto's sales slump, employees expressed dissatisfaction with the CEO's continued emphasis on AI.
On the company's internal social media platform, many employees questioned the purpose of the all-hands meeting, according to 21jingji.
"Right now, AI-related content isn't my priority, nor is it the most urgent matter. I'd rather hear reflections and reviews on the company's top-priority tasks at this stage, along with Li Auto's overall strategy for 2026," another employee was quoted as saying in the report.
In 2025, Li Auto's deliveries fell 18.81% to 406,343 units, with declines occurring in most months throughout the year.
| Year | Deliveries |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 973 |
| 2020 | 32,624 |
| 2021 | 90,491 |
| 2022 | 133,246 |
| 2023 | 376,030 |
| 2024 | 500,508 |
| 2025 | 406,343 |
Last week, a local media outlet reported that Li Auto was evaluating closing some stores as part of efforts to enhance efficiency. The company subsequently confirmed the move, emphasizing there would be no large-scale store closures.
Nio Inc (NYSE: NIO, HKG: 9866) and Xpeng (NYSE: XPEV, HKG: 9868) are also heavily betting on AI, though with differing approaches.
In an internal employee address on January 14, Nio founder, chairman, and CEO William Li said the company will intensify its AI investments this year and expects employees to deeply integrate AI to enhance product competitiveness and operational efficiency.
Nio has established an AGI committee tasked with driving AI adoption across its business chains to boost efficiency in R&D, manufacturing, and supply chain management.
Xpeng has launched its Iron humanoid robot, now in its second iteration.
In October 2025, Xpeng appointed Liu Xianming, an AI expert, as head of its autonomous driving center, shifting greater focus toward AI.
