Editorial | First humanoid robot games are proof the future is already here

Babies are clumsy – and so are humanoid robots. That may be why so many of us were amused watching videos of the non-human competitors at the inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, and found them cute. While many managed to perform adequately when attempting backflips, boxing, jumping, running and kicking balls, tripping over seemed to be the order of the day.

But for all the amusement and entertainment, this is a serious business. And China wants to make sure it leads the way. Not too long ago, the best human chess players could still beat computers. Today, the best players don’t stand a chance against machines. A robot from Hangzhou-based Unitree, a leading robotic start-up, won a gold medal at the games by completing a 1,500-metre indoor race in 6:34.40. It fell far short of the current human world indoor record of 3:29.63, but it was still faster than many people.

Anyone who watched the robots at the event would realise that, soon, they will be faster, stronger and more agile than any human. Physical labour, at least for those who can afford it, may soon be a thing of the past. That may also be disconcerting.

Already, in China, Japan and South Korea, some hotels, restaurants and elderly care homes are using robots. The United States is developing robotic soldiers.

Those at the Beijing games were “dumb” robots, programmed to perform only a few tasks. But China is going full steam ahead with artificial intelligence (AI). Robots are being merged with AI.

Since the time of Henry Ford and his pioneering assembly-line method of car manufacturing, the complaint has been that human workers are forced to perform robotic tasks.