Humanoid robots outpace humans in Beijing half-marathon

Humanoid robots surged ahead of human runners at a half-marathon in Beijing on Sunday, underscoring rapid advancements in robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and autonomous navigation.

Dozens of Chinese-made robots competed alongside around 12,000 human participants in the 21-kilometer race, running on parallel tracks to avoid collisions.

Unlike the event’s inaugural edition last year — when many machines failed to finish — this year’s competition highlighted dramatic improvements in both speed and reliability.

Several robot frontrunners not only completed the course but outperformed professional athletes, finishing more than 10 minutes ahead of the fastest human runners.

Nearly half of the robotic entrants navigated the course autonomously, without remote control, signaling major progress in real-world AI mobility.

The winning robot, developed by Honor, completed the race in an astonishing 50 minutes and 26 seconds — faster than the current human half-marathon world record held by Jacob Kiplimo. Teams from Honor, a spin-off of Huawei, secured all three podium positions.

Engineers said the robot was designed with leg dimensions similar to elite runners and incorporated advanced cooling systems adapted from smartphone technology.

Spectators described the robots’ performance as a glimpse into the future. Many pointed to the race as evidence of China’s growing strength in robotics, with some younger attendees saying the event inspired them to pursue careers in the field.

While experts caution the technology is still in early stages, the race demonstrated how rapidly humanoid robots are evolving — and hinted at their potential to transform industries beyond athletics.