Tien Kung Ultra crossed the finish line under three hours on Saturday. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images 2025-04-20T22:06:28Z Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Humanoid robots ran a half-marathon against humans for the first time on Saturday in Beijing. The race highlighted how far humanoid robots have advanced, and how far they still have to go. While some robots finished the race, others stumbled. They all required human handlers. More than 12,000 people and 21 humanoid robots gathered in Beijing on Saturday morning to compete in a half-marathon.Yes, robots.Machine battled muscle across 13 miles during the 2025 Beijing E-Town Half Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half Marathon, which organizers said was the first of its kind.The participating robots raced in a separate lane from humans and came in different designs. Twenty-one humanoid robots competed in the half-marathon in Beijing. VCG/VCG via Getty Images Noetix Robotics showed off the N2, an over 40-pound humanoid robot about 3 feet tall. Unitree Robotics entered its G1 model, which weighs nearly 80 pounds and stands over 4 feet tall. Another robot running in the race featured a woman's face. Engineers or human handlers accompanied the robots. The humanoid robots had about three-and-a-half hours to complete the track. Anadolu/Anadolu via Getty Images The People's Government of Beijing Municipality said on its website that the robotic marathoners underwent "intensive training, " including "late-night endurance drills," ahead of the race.During a March press conference, Li Quan, deputy head of the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, said the robots were given about three and a half hours to finish the course. Unitree Robotics' G1 model participated in the Beijing half-marathon on Saturday. China News Service/China News Service via Getty Images He added that robots could win prizes in three categories: race completion, best endurance, and most popular robot.Although the human-humanoid half-marathon is a feat, not every robot rose to the occasion. Footage obtained by Reuters showed one robot falling over at the start line while another crashed into a railing and sent its human operator to the ground. One robot crashed into a railing and toppled over during Saturday's half-marathon. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images According to The Wall Street Journal, a robot called "Huanhuan" ran in the wrong direction at times before sitting on the ground and refusing to stand. One robot rose above the rest: Tien Kung Ultra, designed by Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, became the first humanoid robot to cross the finish line in 2 hours and 40 minutes, the Journal reported.Li said he hoped the event would be recognized as more than a fun weekend spectacle."We hope that this event will not only showcase achievements in the humanoid robotics industry but also spark discussions and deepen the public's understanding of robot capabilities, which will help accelerate industry development," he said in March. This humanoid robot wore running shoes while competing in the half-marathon on Saturday. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images Technological developments, like AI, have allowed humanoid robots to evolve rapidly in recent years. Some companies like Mercedes-Benz and BMW have even partnered with humanoid robot companies to test robots on factory lines, though very few of these robots have been deployed worldwide. The half-marathon showcased how humanoid robots and AI have advanced. Pedro Pardo / AFP Some in the tech sector consider China to be ahead of the United States in the humanoid robot race, pointing to events like the 2025 Spring Festival Gala in Beijing, which featured 16 AI-powered humanoid robots developed by Unitree, a Chinese company, dancing to traditional folk music with elaborate choreography alongside human dancers.Tesla CEO Elon Musk, whose company manufactures its own humanoid robot, once said he believed humanoids would outnumber humans by 2040. A humanoid robot runner with its technician competing in the Beijing E-town Half-Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half-Marathon in Beijing. Song Jiaru/VCG via Getty Images Recommended video