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China’s humanoid robots were once a punchline. Now they are a warning shot. Just one year after drawing global skepticism for awkward stumbles and mechanical breakdowns, Chinese-made humanoid robots are performing backflips, executing kung fu routines and delivering synchronized gymnastics on the world’s biggest television stage. The dramatic turnaround has reignited debate about China’s manufacturing edge, the future of work and the accelerating U.S.–China technology race. Here is what investors need to know. A Public Debut That Turned Heads China’s annual Spring Festival Gala is widely regarded as the most-watched television program in the world. This year, humanoid robots from...

Developed by Chinese startups such as Booster Robotics, the AI-powered machines are part of a technology-themed temple fair in China. Humanoid robots are taking centre stage at Lunar New Year celebrations in Beijing, where they're performing lion dances, playing competitive football and preparing traditional snacks ahead of the Spring Festival. At a mall in western Beijing, 95-centimetre-tall robots rehearsed in colourful lion costumes, drawing crowds of onlookers. The performances are part of a technology-themed temple fair returning for a second year, showcasing China’s advances in artificial intelligence. The robots - developed by startups including Booster Robotics - are taking part...

Tradition meets technology in a stunning showcase at the 2026 Spring Festival Gala by China Media Group. This year's gala features robots performing synchronized martial arts routines alongside children, highlighting a bold fusion of heritage and high-tech innovation.

China is about to send humanoid robots to work at a busy border with Vietnam. UBTECH Robotics has won a $37 million contract, to deploy its Walker S2 machines there starting this month. The assignment is led by UBTECH Robotics Corp., a Shenzhen-based company that builds full-size humanoid robots for industry and public services. EarthSnap Its engineers focus on embodied intelligence, which is artificial intelligence that controls a physical robot body, so these machines can handle messy, real-world environments. Fangchenggang is a coastal city in Guangxi near the border with Vietnam, where cargo trucks, coaches, and day travelers constantly cycle...

Key Points On Tesla’s fourth-quarter earnings call, CEO Elon Musk said the company is ending production of its Model S and X vehicles. “It’s time to basically bring the Model S and X programs to an end with an honorable discharge,” Musk said. Tesla beat estimates for the quarter but still wrapped up its first annual sales decline on record. SNIP Tesla is developing Optimus with the aim of someday selling it as a bipedal, intelligent robot capable of everything from factory work to babysitting. The company said in the release that it plans to unveil the third generation of...

Elon Musk just dropped a NUKE on medical careers (Jan 2026): “Don’t go into medical school.” Elon: “Yes. Pointless.” Prediction: → 3 years → Optimus robots > best human surgeons on Earth (at scale) → 4–5 years → Best medicine in the world = FREE & better than what presidents get today The moment he basically says goodbye to traditional medicine forever 👇 (1:19 clip) Abundance incoming… or mass white-coat unemployment?

Robots in China are doing it all now, even dancing on stage like pros. Here Unitree robots doing Webster flips and are performing at Chinese-American singer Wang Leehom’s concert in Chengdu.

Cooking Robots and the Loss of Human Skill Original Question In view of centuries of history of technological development in which increasing power and convenience of gadgetry have prompted the unintended consequence of the atrophy of first-person practice of human skills with self-reliance, what is the likelihood that the proliferation of cooking robots will result in people forgetting how to cook and feed themselves in the event of a technological contraction? Short Answer The risk is real but uneven. Widespread cooking robots would almost certainly erode everyday cooking skills in some parts of the population, especially among those who fully...

ELON: OPTIMUS WILL ULTIMATELY BE BETTER THAN THE BEST HUMAN SURGEON “People often talk about eliminating poverty, about giving everyone amazing medical care. Well, there's actually only one way to do that, and that's with the Optimus robot. With humanoid robots, you can actually give everyone amazing medical care. Optimus will ultimately be better than the best human surgeon with a level of precision that is beyond human. People always talked about eliminating poverty, but Optimus will actually eliminate poverty.” Source: Tesla Shareholder Meeting, November 6, 2025

Western automotive and green energy executives who visit China are returning humbled — and even terrified.As The Telegraph reports, the executives are warning that the country’s heavily automated manufacturing industry could quickly leave Western nations behind, especially when it comes to electric vehicles.“We are in a global competition with China, and it’s not just EVs,” Ford CEO Jim Farley told The Verge last month. “And if we lose this, we do not have a future at Ford.”“You get this sense of a change, where China’s competitiveness has gone from being about government subsidies and low wages to a tremendous number...

The AI models were prone to safety failures and discrimination, a new study found. Robots powered by artificial intelligence (AI) are not safe for general use, according to a new study. Researchers from the United Kingdom and United States evaluated how AI-driven robots behave when they are able to access people’s personal data, including their race, gender, disability status, nationality, and religion. For their study, which was published in International Journal of Social Robots, they ran tests on how the AI models behind popular chatbots – including OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, Microsoft’s Copilot, Meta’s Llama, and Mistral AI – would...

Researchers have uncovered serious security flaws with the Unitree G1 humanoid robot, a machine that is already being used in laboratories and some police departments. They discovered that G1 can be used for covert surveillance and could potentially launch a full-scale cyberattack on networks.It sounds like the stuff of science fiction nightmares, robots that are secretly spying on you and could be controlled by remote hackers. However, the concern is real, as these types of robots are becoming increasingly common in homes, businesses, critical infrastructure and public spaces.When robots go rogueIn a new study available on the arXiv preprint server,...

A technology company in southern China is developing a humanoid robot equipped with an artificial womb, designed to carry and give birth to human children. The project, announced by Kaiwa Technology and expected to debut by 2026, marks a significant step in artificial gestation. As China develops a pregnancy robot capable of full-term human reproduction, experts are closely watching the ethical and scientific implications. Guangzhou-based Kaiwa Technology revealed that the robot will be capable of carrying a fetus through a ten-month gestation cycle and assisting in childbirth. The company says it plans to sell the product for under 100,000 yuan,...

China is leading the world in industrial robots or programmable machines that are pioneering fast and cost-effective manufacturing. China currently holds over 50% of the world market share in industrial robots capable of assembly, production line handling, service tasks, machine feeding, palletizing, packaging, and more. Automation is fueling Chinese manufacturing in every sector from automotives to electronics. The advancement of AI will soon provide China with a cutting-edge ability to usher in a new era of humanoid robots that will become a portion of the future workforce. China installed around 290,000 new industrial robots in 2024, nearly twice as many...

Scientists at the University of Florida are deploying the so-called “robo-bunnies” throughout South Florida in hopes of drawing Burmese pythons out of their hiding places so they can be euthanized, reports Kimberly Miller for the Palm Beach Post. By luring the pythons to the rabbit look-alikes, biologists can save time that might otherwise be spent searching through the swamp for the snakes. The animatronic rabbits are outfitted with motors and internal heaters that are designed to replicate the behaviors and body temperatures of live marsh rabbits (Sylvilagus palustris), which Burmese pythons love to eat. The South Florida Water Management District...

From flamethrowers to hot pants, Elon Musk has already released a range of weird and wacky products. Now, the billionaire is taking on the likes of McDonald's, Wendy's, and IHOP, with his very first diner. The Tesla Diner is described as a 'retro-futuristic diner and drive-in charging experience.'

There are many weird and wonderful humanoid robots out there, but one of the most eye-catching machines launched this year can change its own battery pack — making it capable of running autonomously for 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Walker S2 robot, made by the Chinese company UBTECH, is 5 foot 3 inches (162 centimeters) tall and weighs 95 pounds (43 kilograms) — making it the size and weight of a small adult. Using a 48-volt lithium battery in a dual-battery system, the robot can walk for two hours or stand for four hours before its...

So, uhh, apparently China started an AI robot soccer league? VIDEO AT LINK.................. NEW: China launches its first humanoid robot soccer league in Beijing.This is way more entertaining than regular soccer.The AI-controlled robots were supplied by Booster Robotics for the tournament and have the skills of 5 to 6 year old children.Robots were seen getting… pic.twitter.com/VTLQOPjU3c— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 1, 2025Now, that might seem a bit low-quality for an AI robot soccer game, but consider the fact that there was almost no human involvement in this match, and that the technology will only improve, and you've got yourself a...

Amazon, opens new tab is developing software for humanoid robots that could eventually take the jobs of delivery workers, The Information reported on Wednesday, citing a person familiar with the matter. Reuters could not immediately confirm the report. Amazon is completing construction of a "humanoid park," an indoor obstacle course at one of the company's San Francisco, California offices, where it will soon test such robots, the report added. The company is developing the artificial intelligence software that would power such robots, the report said, adding that Amazon plans to use hardware from other firms in its tests, for now....

Twenty-one humanoid robots joined thousands of runners at the Yizhuang half-marathon in Beijing on Saturday, the first time these machines have raced alongside humans over a 21-km (13-mile) course. The robots from Chinese manufacturers such as DroidUP and Noetix Robotics came in all shapes and sizes, some shorter than 120 cm (3.9 ft), others as tall as 1.8 m (5.9 ft). One company boasted that its robot looked almost human, with feminine features and the ability to wink and smile. Some firms tested their robots for weeks before the race. Beijing officials have described the event as more akin to...