RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 3 sourcesThe 2026 World Humanoid Robot Games has been taking place this week in Beijing, China, with more than 2,000 humanoid robots competing in sports like kickboxing, sprinting, and gymnastics. At this point you've probably heard about the three robots that beat Usain Bolt’s 9.58-second world record in the 100-meter dash . But have you seen the robots that have been glitching out? They're less impressive, but they're so damn funny.
There were the cheerleader robots who couldn't stop shaking .
另一个像个小孩躺在地上蹬腿耍赖皮🤣 pic.twitter.com/NDBdOepW2p
There were the robots that didn't just smash into a foam wall, but sparked and burst into flames in the process.
人形机器人100米复赛，比赛结束后大多数自己也粉身碎骨，未免也太残酷了吧🤯 pic.twitter.com/KaOjh3xk6B
There was the robot that attempted a front-flip off a box only to face-plant . Or "face" plant, as it were, given the robot's lack of a face.
There was the robot that flipped out trying to lift a relatively small amount of weight and wound up crashing into a table.
机器人举重出现故障，倒在了裁判的桌前，裁判说了一句“失败”后，它还不服气踢了一脚。😭 pic.twitter.com/8uHYlwP22A
There was the robot on the obstacle course that was in absolute chaos mode .
There was the high jumping robot that proceeded to have its head pop off .
机器人参加跳高比赛所付出的代价是不是有点太大了🤦🏻♂️ pic.twitter.com/aGsVDrlhkm
There was the soccer robot that fell flat on its face .
bro thought he was him pic.twitter.com/oPHCSniGoP
— Robotgore (@RobotgoreSol) August 25, 2026
There was the robot that startled one of the officials on the sidelines because it wouldn't stop .
最后自己也没站稳倒在了地上😅😭 pic.twitter.com/0prv52tGRb
There was the robot that smashed into a TV set .
There was the dancing robot that looked like it had a bit too much to drink .
出故障的起舞的样子竟然如此艺术，尤其是配上这段经典的BGM🤣 pic.twitter.com/xksoKiUkCi
Last but not least, there was the robot that smashed into a wall during training.
WATCH: A humanoid robot training for the “Robot Olympics” in Beijing runs too fast, fails to stop, slams into a safety cushion, and breaks at the waist pic.twitter.com/WEHdYCiPlO
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) August 20, 2026
The robots in this competition have accomplished some genuinely impressive feats. And it's incredible to see how far humanoid robotics has come in the decade since the DARPA Robotics Challenge in California in 2015. Every robot in that competition was remote operated and moved painfully slow compared to the robots of the 2020s. There were plenty of humorous failures in 2015 , but they moved much, much slower.
The future looks bright for humanoid robots in 2026. But it remains to be seen how companies will try to monetize these bots and which use cases make the most sense for everyday consumers.
Will it become common for humanoid robots to work as servants in U.S. homes, folding clothes and loading the dishwasher, generally fulfilling the dream of Rosey the Robot from "The Jetsons"? Billionaire Elon Musk thinks so. But his timeline has been way too ambitious and his Optimus robot has been largely used as a way to generate hype rather than achieve tangibly impressive feats.
There's also the question of how much robots may transform society in the near future. On one side you've got guys like Musk who believe robots will deliver a world of abundance. So much abundance, in fact, that money won't matter by 2030 . On the other side, you've got the robot skeptics who believe that humanoid robots won't be inside most American homes anytime this decade.
Musk's prediction is absurd, of course, as we explained yesterday . But there is the possibility of something in the middle. Humanoid robots are advancing in a way that's genuinely impressive and there's a real possibility that we could see them performing jobs more frequently in the years ahead. Will this lead to a post-scarcity society, as the world's wealthiest man has promised? No. That only happens through political action.
But will this mean that some jobs will be performed by robots, especially if they're more dangerous—think surveying Chernobyl or rescuing someone's pet hamster from a burning building? That's entirely possible.
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