Chinese humanoid robots recently smashed human records at the Beijing half-marathon, with an Honor-made model completing the course in a lightning-fast 50 minutes and 26 seconds. This impressive feat eclipsed the previous world record by over six minutes, set by Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo.

The winning robot’s design, inspired by elite human runners, featured long legs of approximately 37 inches and a custom liquid-cooling system, hinting at potential industrial applications beyond sports.

Three humanoid robots from Honor’s “Lightning” series dominated the event, leaving behind the 12,000 human competitors. Last year saw a stark contrast with a 2-hour and 40-minute robot record, underscoring rapid advancements in autonomous running technology within just one year.

While this robotic triumph may not immediately lead to widespread adoption, it underscores the ongoing investment by tech giants in humanoid robots capable of versatile tasks. The race for advanced AI-driven machines continues as industries eye potential breakthroughs and applications beyond the marathon track.