Chinese-made humanoid robots outperformed human runners in a half-marathon race held in Beijing on Sunday. The event highlighted the rapid advancements in robotics technology.
Last year’s champion robot completed the race in 2 hours and 40 minutes, more than double the time of the human winner. This year, however, saw significant improvements. Over 100 teams participated, with several robots navigating autonomously and beating professional athletes by over ten minutes.
The winning robot, developed by Chinese smartphone brand Honor, finished in a record-breaking 50 minutes and 26 seconds. This was more than 10 minutes faster than the world record set by Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo in Lisbon last month.
Engineers from Honor’s team explained that their robot was designed with legs measuring 90 to 95 cm long, mimicking elite human runners, and liquid cooling technology used in smartphones. Despite the impressive performance, experts noted that AI software capable of matching human factory workers’ efficiency remains a challenge for Chinese robotics firms.
The event showcased China’s ambition to become a global leader in humanoid robots, with policies aimed at fostering local innovation. However, widespread commercialization in industrial settings is still uncertain due to limitations in manual dexterity and real-world perception.