Key Facts

• The robot ran the half-marathon in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, beating the current men’s human record of 57 minutes and 20 seconds.
• The race took place in Yizhuang, a southern district of Beijing, with robots and humans running in separate lanes.
• The robot was made by Chinese smartphone maker Honor and used an autonomous navigation system, allowing it to run without human control.
• Last year’s best robot time was more than two hours and 40 minutes, showing large improvements in one year.
• More than 100 humanoid robots competed this year, up from about 20 last year, indicating growing interest in robot racing.
• Spectators noted the technology is advancing quickly, with potential future uses in jobs like caregiving, housework, and firefighting.
• China invested 73.5 billion yuan ($10.8 billion) in robotics and embodied artificial intelligence in 2025.
• The event aims to encourage innovation and make robot technology more popular.