Beijing hosts the World Humanoid Robot Games

The World Humanoid Robot Games started in Beijing with an impressive performance by Chinese humanoid robots. These robots broke records previously set by humans, including surpassing Usain Bolt’s 100-meter sprint world record. The event features more than 2,000 humanoid robots, as stated by the organizers.

The games, held at the National Speed Skating Oval, boast 51 events across more than 1,000 competitions such as running, table tennis, and soccer. The event coincides with the 2026 World Robot Conference in Beijing where companies are showcasing around 3,000 products, including humanoid robots.

The U.S. responds with scrutiny

China produces most of the world’s humanoid robots, which has prompted scrutiny from the U.S. Last month, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission announced a ban on new foreign-made humanoid robots over national security concerns, specifically targeting China. The Pentagon added Unitree, a prominent Chinese humanoid robot manufacturer, to its list of companies with alleged ties to the Chinese military. Beijing has denied the accusations.

Record-breaking performances

During the opening of the robot games, Chinese humanoid robots accomplished feats beyond human world records. In the 100-meter sprint, a robot recorded a time of 9.39 seconds, bettering the 9.58 seconds record that Usain Bolt set in 2009. Another robot reached a standing high jump of 2.88 meters, eclipsing the human record of 2.45 meters achieved by Javier Sotomayor in 1993. These technologies came from Beijing-based X-Humanoid.

Views on humanoid robots

According to spectators at the games, humanoid robots are advancing swiftly. Li Yanfeng, an education worker from Beijing, expressed her initial reluctance about artificial intelligence, fearing it might replace humans. However, she acknowledged the unstoppable nature of technological development. Similarly, Yang Shangzheng found it fascinating that robots can perform sports traditionally associated with humans.

Liu Tao, attending the event with his son, anticipated seeing the best robots China has to offer. This year’s competition consists of participants from 16 countries, including Germany, Japan, and the U.S. Events like weightlifting and tug of war are also featured.