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HUMANS REQUIRED. A human performer, left photo, leaps above robots dressed like terracotta warriors during the opening ceremony of the World Humanoid Robot Games held in Beijing, China. Humanoid robots raced and punched their way through three days of a multi-sport competition at the World Humanoid Robot Games, but they also toppled, crashed, and collapsed, requiring human help, right photo, and leading to questions about how far, after all, the robots can go on their own. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

From The Asian Reporter, V35, #9 (September 1, 2025), page 20.

By Mahesh Kumar

The Associated Press

BEIJING — Humanoid robots raced and punched their way through three days of a multi-sport competition at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing.

But they also toppled, crashed, and collapsed, requiring human help and leading to questions about how far, after all, the robots can go on their own.

The games featured more than 500 humanoids on 280 teams from 16 countries, including the United States, Germany, and Japan, that competed in sports such as soccer, running, and boxing at the 12,000-seat National Speed Skating Oval, built for the 2022 Winter Olympics.

The event came as China has stepped up efforts to develop humanoid robots powered by artificial intelligence.

Robots were often seen close to their operators, whether they were controlled remotely, held, lifted, sorted, or separated. Batteries needed replacing and limbs tuned.

Although the robots showed off some impressive moves, some tripped and human intervention was never far from the field. One had to be carried out by two people, like an injured athlete, in a display of the limitations the machines are still facing.

Their effect on the audience, however, was not unlike that of real athletes. Cheers erupted when a robot landed a punch, scored a goal, or won a game, showing that viewers were genuinely invested in the machines’ endeavors.

AI-powered robots are expected to be increasingly used in industrial settings.

During the opening ceremony of the games, humanoid robots danced hip-hop, performed martial arts, and played keyboard, guitar, and drums. The robots also demonstrated soccer and boxing among other sports, with some cheering and backflipping as if at a real sports event.

In addition, the robots modelled fashionable hats and clothes alongside human models. In a mishap, a robot model fell and had to be carried off the stage by two human beings.

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