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Humanoid robots took the spotlight at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai this weekend, serving beers, playing mahjong, shadowboxing, and even stacking shelves — all vivid examples of China’s rising capabilities and ambitions in artificial intelligence.
The annual WAIC event serves as a platform for Beijing to showcase its progress in AI, as the country aims to cement its status as a global leader in the field — not just in technological innovation but also in shaping regulation. China is striving to close the gap with the United States in this key domain.
Speaking at the opening ceremony on Saturday, Premier Li Qiang announced the formation of a new body to promote international collaboration on AI governance, emphasising the need to weigh the opportunities of the technology against its risks.
However, the tone at the adjacent exhibition hall was anything but cautious.
“Demand is currently very strong — whether it’s data, real-world scenarios, model training or physical development. There’s great energy in every aspect,” said Yang Yifan, R&D Director at Shanghai-based AI firm Transwarp.
This year’s event is the first since Chinese startup DeepSeek made headlines in January with a breakthrough AI model that reportedly matched top US systems in performance but at a significantly lower cost.
More than 800 companies took part in the conference, with over 3,000 products on display. Yet it was the humanoid robots and their quirky performances that stole the show.
One robot enthusiastically banged a drum—albeit slightly off-beat—to Queen’s “We Will Rock You,” as onlookers cheered. Elsewhere, robots in work uniforms or caps were seen assembling products, playing curling with humans, or clumsily dispensing soft drinks.
Despite their sometimes-awkward movements, the robots’ growing technical capabilities were unmistakable.
China has heavily invested in robotics, and many experts believe it may already be outpacing the US in certain areas. At the booth of Hangzhou firm Unitree, the company’s G1 humanoid — standing about 130 cm tall — displayed impressive agility as it kicked, turned, and shadowboxed while maintaining balance. Unitree also announced it will soon release a full-sized humanoid robot, the R1, priced under $6,000.
Beyond physical robots, virtual AI companions featured heavily at WAIC. On display were avatars of middle-aged professionals, scantily dressed women, and ancient warriors—all animated characters that interacted with passers-by through screens, greeting them and asking about their day.
Tech giant Baidu unveiled the latest generation of its “digital humans,” AI-powered avatars that can think, make decisions, and work in teams. The company recently staged a six-hour online shopping livestream hosted by avatars of a popular influencer. According to Baidu, the AI versions outperformed the human host in several sales categories.
Over 10,000 companies have already adopted this technology, said Wu Chenxia, head of Baidu’s digital humans department. She played down concerns over job losses, arguing that AI is a productivity tool designed to enhance quality and save time, rather than replace human labour outright.
Still, among the thousands who visited the WAIC expo, few appeared worried about AI’s potential consequences. Instead, many were captivated by backflipping robotic dogs and friendly virtual avatars.
“With China’s strong data foundation and wide variety of application environments, we have many more opportunities to experiment,” added Yang of Transwarp.
