In a remarkable display of technological prowess, robots recently competed against human runners in a half marathon in Beijing, with the winning machine dramatically outpacing its human counterparts.
The event, held on Sunday, featured robots developed by various organizations, with the champion—named Lightning—created by Chinese smartphone manufacturer Honor. Lightning completed the 13.1-mile course in an impressive 50 minutes and 26 seconds, according to race organizers.
"The winning robot, Lightning, was developed by Chinese smartphone maker Honor and finished the race in 50 minutes and 26 seconds," race officials confirmed.
This performance significantly outpaces the current men's half marathon world record of 57 minutes and 20 seconds, set by Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo in Lisbon earlier this year.
Approximately 40% of the competing robots operated autonomously during the race, navigating the course without human intervention, while the remaining machines were remotely controlled by operators.
The event marks a significant milestone in robotics and athletic competition, demonstrating how rapidly advancing technology is beginning to challenge human physical capabilities in endurance sports.