China to Host World’s First Human-Robot Half Marathon

China is set to host the world’s first marathon championship featuring both robots and humans. The event aims to boost the development of artificial intelligence and robotics in the country, reports SCMP.

The 21 km race will take place in April in Beijing, with 12,000 humans and dozens of robots participating. Around 20 companies will showcase advancements in new technologies.

The devices must resemble humans: they should have a mechanical structure capable of walking or running on two legs and must not be on wheels. Heights between 50 and 200 cm are allowed, with a maximum distance from the hip joint to the sole of the foot not exceeding 45 cm.

Both remotely controlled and fully autonomous humanoids are eligible for the half marathon. Batteries can be replaced during the race. The top three runners will receive prizes.

Last year, a robot from the Chinese company Galbot made a brief sprint at the finish line of the Beijing half marathon. This will be the first time bots participate in the full distance.

In 2025, numerous new developments in robotics are anticipated. OpenAI is creating its own solution and has already begun hiring staff for the project. Additionally, the limited production of Tesla’s humanoid Optimus is set to commence. Elon Musk believes they will increase the company’s market capitalization to $25 trillion.

In October, the billionaire forecasted the creation of 10 billion robots priced between $20,000 and $25,000 by 2040.

Nvidia Corporation will focus on robotics in 2025. It will launch a new generation of compact Jetson Thor computers for humanoids.

Back in December, Chinese police were equipped with round patrol robots—an armed device with artificial intelligence resembling a large bowling ball.