(NBC News)- BEIJING — China’s robots may not run as fast as humans, but they’re also in a broader race with the United States. On Saturday, the Chinese capital of Beijing hosted the world’s first half-marathon where two-legged robots ran together with people, in the latest demonstration of China’s tech progress.
A total of 21 Chinese-made humanoid robots joined about 12,000 people for the race. Coming in various sizes and styles, the robots were accompanied by human trainers or controlled remotely as they ran on a separate track.
Hailed as a “historic moment” by the Chinese government, the race came amid an intensifying tech rivalry between the U.S. and China, the world’s two biggest powers in artificial intelligence.
While China remains a distant second, it leads the world in AI publications and patents and is closing the gap in terms of quality of AI models, spooking U.S. investors early this year when the Chinese start-up DeepSeek released a ChatGPT-like model developed at a fraction of the cost.
Much as it has with electric vehicles, the Chinese government has been promoting humanoid robots as a potential engine of economic growth, even as the Trump administration tightens U.S. export controls on artificial intelligence chips that Chinese developers rely on. Several Chinese state-backed industry groups have declared that U.S.-made chips are “no longer safe or reliable.”
The robot-human race was another step forward in China’s goal of becoming the world leader in humanoid robots by 2027.
“That more than 20 robot companies participated shows that robot tech in China is pushing forward quickly,” said Guo Yijie, team lead for the winning robot, Tiangong Ultra, which was developed by the Beijing Innovation Center of Humanoid Robotics.
As the starting siren echoed through the air, the first batch of robots jogged ahead, their metal legs thumping loudly against the track. The tallest robot was 5 feet 10 inches, while the shortest, nicknamed “Little Giant,” measured less than 2.5 feet and drew cheers from the crowd as it swaggered past and waved enthusiastically.
Some robots ran smoothly like humans while others had stiffer, more mechanical movements. Each also had a unique style: Some had lifelike skin and hair, others wore clothes, and a few ran in sneakers.
Companies developing humanoid robots in China, the U.S. and elsewhere hope they might eventually be able to do jobs ranging from manufacturing to caregiving.
“Our vision is for humanoid robots to integrate into various industries and households, serving humanity in meaningful ways,” said Wei Jiaxing, brand and public relations lead at the Beijing Innovation Center of Humanoid Robotics. “They can enhance productivity, improve efficiency and help address labor shortages.”
When it came to running, however, the robots were no match for the human contestants, who had time to stop and snap selfies with them along the 13-mile course in Yizhuang, a tech hub district in southeast Beijing.
Some of the robots barely got started. One, designed with a woman’s body and face, collapsed moments after crossing the starting line. The sudden malfunction sent a group of engineers rushing to its side.
Another was struck by a glitch before the race even began and lay on the ground, finally arising to cheers from spectators.
Midway through the race, some robots became too “tired” to continue on their own, and their human operators had to guide them with leashes. The robots were allowed to swap batteries or even be replaced by another machine altogether.
Of the 21 robots, six made it to the finish line. The winning robot, Tiangong Ultra, completed the race in 2 hours and 40 minutes, after three battery changes and one fall. That compares with 1 hour and 2 minutes for the human winner of the men’s race.
Li Qingdu, founder of the Shanghai-based manufacturer DroidUp, said he was not concerned with the race’s rankings. His humanoid robot came in third at 4 hours and 25 minutes.
“What matters most to us is testing things — for example, whether the robot can finish the whole race without changing batteries,” Li said.
Battery life has been a longtime challenge for robotics companies. China dominates the battery industry, holding a 70% to 90% share of the global market at every stage of the value chain for today’s lithium ion batteries, according to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a Washington-based think tank.
China also dominates the production and processing of rare earths, which are crucial for making robots. On Tuesday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said production of its Optimus humanoid robots had been disrupted by export curbs on rare earth magnets that China recently imposed in response to U.S. tariffs.
Despite their stumbles in the race, the robot runners stoked national pride. Spectators on site cheered on the robots while millions of viewers tuned in via livestream, hyping up the public discourse on the country’s tech progress.
Race participant Zou Dewen said it was “exciting and unique” for him to run alongside humanoid robots.
“This humanoid robot marathon is the first of its kind, and it’s happening here in China, in Beijing,” Zou said. “I think it’s something we can be really proud of.”
