China showcases advancements in humanoid robotics and AI

Robots competed against humans in the Yizhuang half-marathon in Beijing, with 21 humanoid robots designed by Chinese manufacturers racing alongside thousands of runners over a 21km course. While some robots completed the race, others struggled, with one falling at the starting line before getting up and continuing. This was the first time robots have raced against humans over a half-marathon course in China.

Robots ran alongside humans at the Yizhuang half marathon in Beijing, with 21 humanoid robots designed by Chinese manufacturers completing the 21km course. The winner, Tiangong Ultra, finished in 2 hours, 40 minutes, and 42 seconds. While some robots completed the race, others struggled, with one falling at the starting line and taking several minutes to get up. The event was billed as the world's first robot half marathon.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is being utilized to make polluting industries more environmentally friendly. For instance, the PortXChange platform, developed by Rotterdam's port, uses AI to analyze various factors and has helped reduce "idle time" for ships by 20%, resulting in less wasted fuel. This technology is now being used globally by companies and ports, demonstrating AI's potential to drive sustainability in traditionally "dirty" industries like mining and steel production.

The article from The Economist's Science & Technology section discusses various recent developments and research in science and technology. Key points include the potential for AI models to aid in negotiations, such as in the Ukraine war, and to help dirty industries like mining and steelmaking become more environmentally friendly. Other topics covered include the effects of microplastics on health, the unexpected ways climate change affects ice formation, and the environmental impact of electric vehicles and data centers. Additionally, the section touches on how AI models "think" and generate cleaner power, the impact of Daylight Saving Time on health, and innovations in electric vehicle technology.

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) relies heavily on a vast and often overlooked workforce. The release of DeepSeek's large language model has prompted developers to reassess the inputs required for building the next generation of AI, including not just hardware, energy, and data, but also the human workforce behind it, raising questions about the future role of this workforce as the technology advances.

The world's first humanoid half-marathon was held in China, featuring over 20 two-legged robots competing against 12,000 human runners. The robots, developed by various companies and universities, finished the 21-kilometer course with the fastest robot, Tiangong Ultra, completing it in 2 hours and 40 minutes, nearly an hour behind the human winner and almost 2 hours shy of the human world record. Despite their technological advancements, the robots required assistance, including battery changes and human support to prevent falls, highlighting the gap between human and robot athletic capabilities.

More than 20 robots competed against thousands of human runners in the world's first humanoid half-marathon in Beijing, showcasing China's advances in humanoid technology.

China hosted the world's first half-marathon race between humans and robots on April 19, 2025, in Beijing, where 21 humanoid robots competed alongside thousands of runners over a 21km course. The winning robot, Tiangong Ultra, finished with a time of 2 hours and 40 minutes, while the human men's winner completed the course in 1 hour and 2 minutes. The robots varied in height and were required to resemble humans and be able to walk or run without wheels. Some robots experienced difficulties during the race, including falling over, but were assisted by human trainers.

China's museums have been given a new mission to promote ethnic unity and counter "wrong historical views" by the country's top ethnic policy official, Pan Yue. Museums should emphasize unity over ethnic division between the Han and minority groups, and tell the "China story" using archaeological findings. They should also refute historical narratives that create a binary opposition between China's Central Plains and border areas, and between Han and non-Han cultures. The goal is to cultivate a "sense of community" and represent China as "diverse but unified". Some museums have already started to heed this call, creating exhibits and courses that promote this narrative.

Liang Wenfeng, founder of AI startup DeepSeek, has become a national hero in China after his company's powerful reasoning model gained international recognition. Hailing from a remote village in Guangdong province, Liang's rise to fame has drawn hundreds of visitors to his childhood home, with locals selling souvenirs and celebrating his achievement. Liang is seen as a key figure in China's tech rivalry with the US, with the potential to rival US leaders like OpenAI's Sam Altman, and is viewed as a symbol of China's growing technological capabilities.

Dozens of humanoid robots, including manually controlled and fully autonomous ones, participated in a half-marathon in Beijing alongside thousands of human runners, showcasing China's tech industry and testing the robots' capabilities. The 21 robots, from private firms and universities, ran along the 21km route in the capital's Daxing district.

Twenty-one humanoid robots from Chinese manufacturers participated in the Yizhuang half-marathon in Beijing alongside thousands of human runners, marking the first time these machines have competed against humans over a 21km course. The robots varied in shape and size and were accompanied by human trainers, with some needing physical support during the race. The winning robot, Tiangong Ultra, completed the course in 2hr 40min, significantly slower than the human men's winner who finished in 1hr 2min. China is investing in robotics as a potential driver of economic growth, although some analysts question the relevance of robots participating in marathons to their industrial potential.