More than 20 two-legged robots competed in the world’s first humanoid half-marathon in China on Saturday, and – though technologically impressive – they were far from outrunning their human masters over the long distance.

As a Chinese pop song “I Believe” blared out from loudspeakers on repeat, the robots queued up one by one and took their first tentative steps.

BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 April 2025 – A scene even science fiction has yet to depict-humans and humanoid robots running side by