Beijing's unprecedented half-marathon: Humans vs. humanoids!

Jason Deegan unveils in a fresh article that on April 13, Beijing will host an unprecedented event—a half-marathon that pairs 12,000 human participants with humanoid robots in a groundbreaking race. 

This innovative event, organised by the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone, is already sparking global conversations about the future of artificial intelligence and robotics.

The race, spanning 13 miles, will see human athletes share the course with humanoid robots, but they won’t be directly competing against each other. Instead, the goal is to showcase the impressive progress in robotics and provoke a broader discussion about the physical and cognitive capabilities of machines. As Li Quan, Deputy Director of the technological zone, explained, “We hope this event will not only highlight the achievements of the humanoid robotics industry but also initiate discussions and enhance public understanding of robot capabilities.”

The robots, which must walk or run on two legs, are required to complete the race using only their own power—wheel-based robots will not be permitted. Teams from universities, tech companies, and robotics clubs will need to focus on a crucial aspect of the competition: battery management. A 10-minute penalty will be assessed to any robot that requires a battery change during the race.

Liu Weiliang, Deputy Director of Beijing’s Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, emphasised, "Beijing’s technological innovation is accelerating in areas such as large-scale artificial intelligence models, multi-source information perception, and natural human-machine interaction."

While the robots won’t race alongside humans, they will share the same goal: to finish first. The top three finishers, human or robot, will win a prize, with robots competing in three categories: Course Completion, Best Endurance, and Most Popular Robot.

This event not only highlights technological achievements but also raises important questions about the evolving role of artificial intelligence in society. What lies ahead for AI in the coming years? Don’t miss the groundbreaking event on April 13 in Beijing.

Additionally, the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone announced plans to recruit 10,000 robots, including 1,000 humanoid robots, from robotics companies over the next two years, further solidifying its status as a hub for artificial intelligence innovation.

By Naila Huseynova