<p>Advanced sensation and actuation abilities of various living organisms in nature have inspired researchers to design bioinspired somatosensory soft actuators. However, the majority of conventional soft actuators primarily possess actuation capabilities while lacking real-time sensing signal feedback. Here, a promising strategy is reported to develop highly stretchable and conductive hydrogels for bioinspired somatosensory soft actuators, which integrate actuation and strain-sensing functions into a single materials system. The conductive hydrogels are designed and synthesized by in situ copolymerization of polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride functionalized MXene (P-MXene) nanosheets and poly N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid (PNIPAm/PAA) hydrogels. The resulting hydrogels exhibit the dual-crosslinked conductive network and porous microstructure, enabling the seamless combination of excellent strain sensitivity, high conductivity, rapid responsiveness, high stability, and extensive stretchability. Interestingly, the anisotropic network structure, formed by electrically driven nanosheet gradient distribution of P-MXene nanosheets, endows the hydrogel with shape-programmable deformation, light-driven remote control, and self-sensing capability. As a proof-of-concept application, a soft gripper based on self-sensing hydrogel actuators has been developed, which can not only grasps, lifts, and releases objects but also detects its movement states by monitoring resistance variations. The proposed somatosensory soft actuator can offer promising perspectives for the advancement of smart soft robotics and other artificial intelligent devices.</p>