The E-town Humanoid Robot Half Marathon in Beijing featured 21 bipedal robots racing alongside 10,000 human participants, showcasing China's advancements in engineering. Robot Tiangong Ultra completed the race in a respectable 2 hours 40 minutes; however, it paled in comparison to the human winner's time of 1 hour, 11 minutes, 7 seconds. Event organizers emphasized the race as an exhibition of technical capabilities, with robots receiving battery support rather than sustenance. This initiative reflects China's strategic investment in AI and robotics to boost economic growth amid global competition, although experts express concerns about the practical benefits of such demonstrations.
"Chinese companies have really focused on showing off walking, running, dancing, and other feats of agility. Generally, these demonstrations don't show much utility or intelligence."
"The robots were treated to batteries and technical tools at aid stations, showcasing the evolving interplay between human and robotic capabilities in sports."
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