Embodied AI robots showcase skills in eight scenarios

The Global Developer Pioneers Summit 2025 and the International Embodied Intelligence Competition in Shanghai tested robots' real-world implementation capabilities in various fields from industrial production to social services, home assistance, emergency rescue, medical care and artistic performances.

Different from previous industry conferences mainly featuring exhibitions and forums, the core highlight of this session from Friday to Sunday is to place humanoid robots in an arena of real-world scenarios. In addition to basic robot vendor exhibits, on-site skill competitions from over 100 embodied AI robot teams nationwide captured the attention of a wide audience.

The three-day conference features six major thematic tracks and eight scenario-based challenges, covering 19 specialized sub-events. These virtually encompass every possible scenario of robots integrating into human life.

Robots will play a crucial role in emergency rescue in the future. In an emergency rescue arena, 10 teams competed over three days, displaying their robots' ability to transport supplies in dangerous environments, navigating complex terrains, and climbing buildings.

"All the scenarios we've chosen are directly related to daily emergency rescue processes. For example, load capacity and time used serve as our scoring rules. The future of artificial intelligence is about helping us perform tasks under extreme conditions," said Zhang Lei, a judge of the emergency rescue arena.

In the industrial material handling arena, participating robots operated in a highly simulated unmanned workshop. This competition is not only about robots' handling efficiency, but also intelligent path planning, long-term operational stability, and ability to cope with sudden interference. A robot boasts a dual-arm load capacity of up to 30kg, and a long battery life.

"Typical factory material handling by hand involves 10-20 kilograms. Our goal is to help or replace people in doing this kind of work. Secondly, it can work continuously for eight hours after being charged for one hour," said Zhu Binbin, a contestant.

In the future, robots will have a wide range of applications in the service sector. Multiple competitions are underway to test robots' dexterity from food delivery, folding clothes, arranging flowers, to medical care.

Embodied AI robots showcase skills in eight scenarios

The Global Security Initiative (GSI) proposed by China has shifted the paradigm in thinking about global security away from the traditional zero-sum mentality toward a vision rooted in dialogue and development, said a Chinese expert on Tuesday.

In April 2022, China proposed the Global Security Initiative (GSI), which aims to create a new path to security that prioritizes dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance, and win-win over zero-sum thinking.

The initiative provides a new course and approach to addressing the root causes of international conflicts and solving security challenges facing humanity.

During an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Wang Xinsong, associate professor at the School of Government at Beijing Normal University, hailed the initiative's importance amid escalating global challenges.

"It's been four years and we have witnessed that the Global Security Initiative or GSI has transformed from a framework in principle to an action plan with many actions having taken place in mediating the conflicts. The major difference between the GSI and the traditional and the existing mainstream idea about global security is that the mainstream idea is being the zero-sum mentality where the belief is that one country's safety is possible only if its neighbors safety is not existent. The GSI shifts the paradigm in thinking about global security away from the zero-sum mentality by arguing that security at the end of the day is very much related to development," Wang said.

Over the past four years, China has consistently promoted the implementation of the GSI. By the end of 2025, the initiative has received support and appreciation from more than 130 countries and regions, as well as international organizations, and has been explicitly incorporated into more than 140 bilateral and multilateral documents at home and abroad.

China's Global Security Initiative shifts paradigm away from traditional zero-sum mentality: expert