Four emerging humanoid robot startups—Unitree Robotics, Galbot, Noetix, and MagicLab—displayed their innovations during this televised gala, Reuters reported.
The first three sketches prominently featured humanoid robots, including an impressive martial arts demonstration where more than a dozen Unitree humanoids executed intricate fight sequences with swords, poles, and nunchucks in close proximity to child performers.
One particularly ambitious fight sequence mimicked the swaying movements and falls characteristic of “drunken boxing,” showcasing advancements in multi-robot coordination and recovery techniques, allowing robots to rise after a fall.
The opening sketch also highlighted Bytedance’s AI chatbot Doubao, while four Noetix humanoid robots joined human actors for a comedic performance. Additionally, MagicLab’s robots synchronized a dance with human performers during the song “We Are Made in China.”
Last year’s gala also stunned viewers with 16 full-size Unitree humanoids twirling handkerchiefs and dancing in unison with human performers. Unitree’s founder met President Xi Jinping weeks later at a high-profile tech symposium – the first of its kind since 2018.
China accounted for 90% of the roughly 13,000 humanoid robots shipped globally last year, far ahead of U.S. rivals including Tesla’s Optimus, according to research firm Omdia. Morgan Stanley projects that China’s humanoid sales will more than double to 28,000 units this year.
