Human-shaped robots dancing on New Year's Eve have taken center stage in the Spring Gala program organized by China Media Group - the official television event with the highest viewership in China. Robots perform martial arts movements, somersaults, spins and jump synchronously with artists on stage without encountering incidents.
The performance quickly attracted attention online, many opinions compared it to last year's program which only had simple movements such as walking, spinning and kicking. This year, the robots performed a series of complex movements and coordinated synchronously with a large number of almost identical individuals.
Mr. Kyle Chan, an expert on Chinese technology development at the Brookings Institution in Washington (USA), said that Beijing uses public robot performances to show off technological capabilities in front of domestic and foreign audiences.
According to him, the humanoid robot is an intuitive example of the technological position that the public can follow via phone or television.
He believes that while China and the US are fiercely competing in artificial intelligence, human-shaped robots are the field that China may claim to be leading, especially in the ability to expand production.
Mr. Georg Stieler, in charge of robots and automation at Stieler Technology and Marketing technology consulting company, said that the noteworthy point of the Gala is the direct link between industrial policy and prime-time stage. He assessed the progress shown through the ability to operate a large number of synchronous robots, maintain stable gait and consistent movement.
However, experts note that stage performance is not synonymous with industrial durability. According to analysis, these movements are trained to be repeated hundreds or thousands of times, mainly based on imitation learning and balance control, with a low level of environmental perception. This does not reflect the ability to operate in a non-structural environment such as factory floors, a necessary condition for industrial deployment.
The launch of the new generation of robots takes place in the context of China's vast technological ambitions. State data shows that by the end of 2024, this country had 451,700 registered smart robot businesses, with a total capital of 6,440 billion yuan (932 million USD). Programs such as "Made in China 2025" and the 14th Five-Year Plan identify robots and AI as strategic priorities.
Morgan Stanley forecasts that human-shaped robot sales in China will exceed 28,000 units this year. Billionaire Elon Musk also said that his biggest competitor in the field of AI embodiment and human-shaped robots may be Chinese companies.
Ms. Marina Zhang, a professor of technology at the University of Technology Sydney (Australia), said that the demonstration shows that robots are becoming a pillar in the transition from low-cost assembly to high-end smart manufacturing.
