China’s humanoid robots designed to assist, not replace, human workers, says official

A Beijing official has revealed that China is rapidly developing humanoid robots that are intended to assist human workers and not replace them. As reported by Reuters, Liang Liang, deputy director of the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, emphasised that these robots will boost productivity and take on hazardous tasks. Liang Liang clarified that humanoid robots will be used in areas such as deep-sea and space exploration, where humans cannot operate."We don't believe robots will make people unemployed, but rather they'll boost efficiency or take on tasks humans are unwilling to do - like exploring the vast universe or the ocean depths where people can't go. Machines can assist us in that exploration," Liang told Reuters. To illustrate this vision, Beijing recently hosted the world’s first robot half-marathon, where humanoid robots competed separately from human runners. The event was designed to showcase how robots can complement human efforts rather than replace them.The competition featured Tiangong Ultra, a humanoid robot developed by X-Humanoid, a state-backed robotics innovation center. The robot demonstrated advanced mobility, reaching speeds of 12 km/h, reinforcing China’s commitment to developing adaptive and efficient robotic systems.Beyond sports, China’s humanoid robots are being developed to handle repetitive and physically demanding tasks. Demonstrations at the robotics center showed robots successfully adapting to changing environments and human interference, a key capability for future workplace integration.As per Reuters report, Liang reiterated that China’s approach to robotics is not about replacing human labor but about creating a future where machines and humans work together.As China continues to invest heavily in AI and robotics, the government’s stance on human-robot collaboration will be crucial in shaping public perception and industry adoption.