The 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games—the first global competition exclusively for human-like robots—kicked off Friday in Beijing, drawing over 500 androids from 16 countries. Held at the National Speed Skating Oval, the event features traditional sports like football and hurdles alongside practical challenges such as medical sorting and cleaning. While some robots stumbled comically, others demonstrated remarkable speed and precision, offering a glimpse into the future of robotics.
The opening day saw both amusing mishaps and flashes of advanced engineering. In a five-a-side football match, child-sized robots frequently toppled over in a tangled heap. Yet in the 1,500-meter race, champion bots from China’s Unitree outpaced rivals with steady strides—though the fastest time (6:29:37) remains far behind elite human runners. One bot even knocked over its handler but stayed upright, much to the crowd’s amusement.
Organizers emphasized that while robot competitions aren’t new, this is the first focused solely on humanoid designs. The Games align with Beijing’s aggressive investments in AI and automation, including a $140 billion tech fund launched in March. The government has declared humanoids a strategic priority, aiming to cement China’s lead in industrial robotics—already the world’s largest market.
Schools brought students to witness the event, like 10-year-old Chen Ruiyuan, who said robots could match humans within a decade. His mother, Cui Han, hoped the exposure would spark his interest in tech. Meanwhile, university-bound spectator Chen praised the boxing bots’ agility, saying the Games fueled his passion for automation. As one robot dramatically face-planted during a kung fu routine, the crowd cheered—proof that even in failure, these machines are winning hearts.
