Beijing 25 October 2026 (Agencies) – China’s humanoid robot industry is moving from single-machine demonstration toward large-scale deployment, as 110 humanoid robots set a Guinness World Records title for the most humanoid robots dancing simultaneously in Jinan, East China’s Shandong Province, on October 24.
The 110 Expedition A3 humanoid robots, developed by Chinese firm AgiBot, performed synchronized dance routines and formation changes using the company’s LinkBots cluster-control platform and ultra-wideband positioning technology, which enables centimeter-level accuracy. The challenge tested the system’s ability to coordinate large numbers of robots while maintaining precise positioning, the company said.
During the display, the 110 Expedition A3 robots seamlessly performed synchronized movements, including repositioning, jumping, flips and formation changes, which showcases advances in humanoid robots’ spatial movement capabilities.
Following the event, the robots will be deployed in cultural and tourism performances, public services, scientific research and education, among other settings, the company said.
The significance of such multi-robot demonstrations extends beyond setting records. As Chinese companies improve motion control, positioning and multi-robot coordination, the key challenge is turning those capabilities into reliable real-world applications. Several companies are now exploring large-scale deployment in industrial and services settings.
At the World Robot Conference in Beijing in August, Chinese robotics firms demonstrated humanoid robots sorting parcels, handling components and packing mobile phones. Robotera said that it had deployed more than 100 parcel-sorting robots across 15 warehouses, while DexForce reported deploying robots at a Lens Technology factory to pack mobile devices on an assembly line.
Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday that large-scale coordination will be a major direction for humanoid robots. By enabling robots to share operational capabilities, experiences gained through real-world use scenarios, the approach can help lower per-unit operating costs.
However, many applications remain at the pilot or early commercial stage, with reliability, adaptability and cost-effectiveness remaining major challenges to wider adoption. China’s effort is to accelerate the commercialization and large-scale deployment of humanoid robots and embodied artificial intelligence (AI), industry analysts said.
China launched a real-world training initiative in June aimed at promoting the deployment of humanoid robots and embodied AI products in real-world production and everyday settings, accelerating their large-scale adoption. The initiative aims to develop more than 100 high-value application scenarios and build the capacity for large-scale deployment of tens of thousands of robots by the end of 2026.
At an October 19 press conference, an official of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said that Chinese companies had developed more than 400 humanoid robot models and produced more than 40,000 units in the first half of 2026. Annual production is expected to exceed 100,000 units, while more than 300 priority scenarios are being targeted for real-world testing and deployment, according to the State Council Information Office.
Ultimately, wider deployment will require continued improvements in adapting to unpredictable real-world conditions. Changes in lighting, ground surfaces and unexpected obstacles can affect robot performance, while small errors may accumulate during prolonged, multi-step tasks. Improving operational reliability and ensuring consistent performance remain important areas for further development, Wang said.