A humanoid robot powered by embodied artificial intelligence took on dual roles on and off the stage at the China Media Group (CMG)'s 2026 Spring Festival Gala, serving both as a capable assistant and a cast member in the country's most-watched television event.
The gala, aired on Chinese New Year's Eve on February 16 this year, combined traditional Chinese culture with modern stagecraft, as well as cross-cultural performances featuring international artists.
Commonly known as "Chunwan" in Chinese, the gala has been broadcast live every Chinese New Year's Eve since 1983 and has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the most-watched annual television program on the planet.
At the entrance of the broadcasting performance hall, the robot, named Galbot, worked as a shop assistant, handing snacks and drinks to performers and audiences.
It also stepped into the spotlight, teaming up with renowned artists to feature in a microfilm presented during the gala.
"Unlike traditional dance robots, it does not rely on pre-recorded movements or remote control. Equipped with our self-developed large-language model, AstraBrain, the robot can understand its environment and human instructions, and perform tasks independently," said Wang He, founder and CTO of Galbot.
To demonstrate the pinnacle of humanoid robotic dexterity at the Spring Festival Gala, Galbot equipped its robot with advanced, multi-fingered hands. Featuring more than 30 highly integrated motors, the hands can execute grasping actions with 22 degrees of freedom.
Wang noted that the robot's dexterous hands, characterized by their stable and silky-smooth operation, far exceed the requirements of current commercial applications, where simple double clamps or suction cups are often sufficient.
He explained that the demanding nature of the Spring Festival Gala prompted the team to develop this "high-level version" in advance, pushing the boundaries of what is necessary for the immediate application.
"For this task, our humanoid robot will first grab a clip to pick up a sausage, and then skewer it. We expedited the skill training for the Spring Festival Gala. Now that we can successfully demonstrate it at the event, we will gradually roll it out in robot stores across the country," said Wang.
Currently, more than 100 robot stores have been set up in over 20 cities nationwide.
AI-embodied humanoid robot debuts on, off stage at Spring Festival Gala
AI-embodied humanoid robot debuts on, off stage at Spring Festival Gala
