Striving to realize human-robot symbiosis: China Daily editorial

At the second World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing on Saturday, a humanoid robot from Team Tianzhuo set a milestone, clocking 100 meters in 9.39 seconds. It not only beat the previous robotic record but also eclipsed the legendary Usain Bolt's world record of 9.58 seconds, a feat of human biology deemed near the absolute limit.

This record-setting sprint was the dramatic opening act for the games that are being held from Saturday to Wednesday. The event has exploded in scale. This year's event has attracted the participation of 666 teams and 2,056 robots from 16 countries, marking a 138 percent increase in the number of teams taking part and a fourfold jump in the robot count from the inaugural event last year.

It demonstrates the speed of technological iteration. More significantly, the games reflect a global commitment to moving robots out of labs. The scenario-based events have been extended into simulated real environments such as factories, hotels, homes and logistics with tasks such as packing, unpacking and retail service, pushing humanoid robots from "demonstration tools" toward "practical productivity".

This push for real-world utility was the central theme at the 2026 World Robot Conference, which was held under the theme "Human-Robot Symbiosis, Production-Demand Convergence" from Wednesday to Sunday. Over 370 exhibitors from around the world showcased 3,000 innovative products, with 311 being global debuts. The industry's focus is increasingly on reliability, cost-effectiveness and solving real-world problems.

The market's attitude toward the industry was apparent last week when Unitree Robotics, a global leader in humanoid and quadruped robots, went public on the Shanghai Stock Exchange's sci-tech innovation board.

In a market crowded with options, investors are placing long-term bets on China's ability to translate its industrial strength into commercially viable embodied intelligence. This confidence is well-founded. Embodied intelligence, the integration of artificial intelligence with a physical form, is poised to inject new momentum into the global economy. Its applications span manufacturing, warehousing, logistics, emergency rescue and household services.

China's market is one of the world's largest testing grounds. From traffic control to package sorting, Chinese robots are already at work, demonstrating that the future is not on the horizon — it is already here. However, AI and robots will also affect the job market.

Addressing the contradiction requires a multipronged labor-market strategy: A shift from income support to employment-conditional subsidies, including wage insurance for displaced workers moving into growing sectors, alongside portable benefits to reduce job lock and reskilling programs tied directly to employer demand. There should be tax incentives for companies that invest in human-AI complementarity rather than wholesale automation.

In practice, to harness the opportunities of the new technological revolution, governments, businesses and universities should forge closer partnerships to enhance workforce development. This ecosystem should prioritize "learning by practicing" through internships, apprenticeships and industry-sponsored projects that bridge theory and practice.

Crucially, policymakers should pursue active labor-market policies that enhance mobility, reduce skills mismatches and ensure productivity gains translate into broad-based wage growth rather than elite capture. With proper foresight, there is no reason why the development of advanced technology cannot be a rising tide that lifts all boats.