Editor's Choice: When humanoids outrun Olympians, what comes next?

A Unitree G1 embodied intelligent robot is displayed at an industry event in Shanghai on Aug. 12. (VCG via Getty Images)August 21, 2026 16:29 JST In recent years, advances in humanoid robots have been remarkable, driven largely by Chinese companies. At the Nikkei Asia Forum in Bangkok last month, a humanoid from startup AgiBot Innovation took the stage to perform a dance. Unitree Robotics, meanwhile, ahead of its landmark IPO in Shanghai on Wednesday, unveiled a humanoid model called "Superman." According to the company, Superman can jump about two meters high and run at a top speed of 12.66 meters per second, surpassing human records for the standing high jump and running speed. As a not-so-good dancer, I can accept that humanoids are able to outperform me on the dance floor. What is asto