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Chinese humanoid robots are having a moment in the spotlight after a standout performance at the country’s annual Spring Festival Gala earlier this week, with videos from the event circulating widely online.
The show, widely considered the world’s most-watched television program, featured robots from several startups performing everything from kung fu moves to choreographed dances to elaborate gymnastics displays.
The show marked a sharp contrast from the 2025 Gala, which had featured less advanced versions of the robots twirling handkerchiefs in a wobbly folk dance.
Around that time, public demonstrations of the humanoids often drew skepticism, such as a marathon incorporating robots in April that made headlines for stumbles, crashes and breakdowns.
