Beijing. Humanoid robots, which were seen falling over in public demonstrations a year ago and whose technical capabilities were doubted, have now graced China’s Spring Festival Gala with kung fu flips, gymnastics and high-precision dance moves. In this world’s most watched TV show, the robots of Chinese startups made it clear how fast technology is progressing.
While the demonstration thrilled audiences, it has also sparked global debate on the US-China tech race, the future of jobs, and the growing power of AI-based machines. However, analysts warn that the real test will now be on artificial intelligence models and their reliable performance in complex human environments.
According to a report, this time humanoid robots from many startup companies participated in China’s Spring Festival Gala. These robots performed complex performances such as kung fu stunts, coordinated dance and gymnastics. The presentation was a far cry from the 2025 gala, when relatively less advanced robots were seen performing folk dances while twirling handkerchiefs and appearing unsteady in their movements. A robot marathon held in April last year also made headlines, where several robots were seen stumbling, falling or stopping due to technical glitches. At that time questions were raised on the reliability of these machines. But technological improvements in just one year have changed perceptions. In this regard, Semianalysis analyst Rick Knutsen said that now these robots cannot be taken lightly. According to him, after the Spring Gala demonstration, the robots looked more balanced, flexible and capable than before.
China’s early lead in construction and deployment
According to Barclays data, there will be about 15,000 humanoid robot installations worldwide in 2025, of which more than 85 percent were in China, while the US accounted for about 13 percent. According to Jornitsa Todorova, head of thematic FICC research at Barclays, China’s biggest strength is its almost completely vertically integrated robotics value chain, from rare earth minerals and high-performance magnets to physical parts and batteries.
Tesla’s Optimus robot is one of the major humanoid projects in the US. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in a January 2025 earnings call that production costs could be brought down to below $20,000 if annual output reaches 1 million units, though the final price will depend on market demand.
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