From August 14 to 17, the World Humanoid Robot Olympics was held at the National Speed Skating Hall in Beijing. Teams from 16 countries participated with a total of 280 teams and over 500 “athletes” involved. This is the first global comprehensive humanoid robot sports event, referred to as the “Robot Olympics.”
Compared to the intense competitions and high technology at the event, what became more widely known were the various memorable moments caused by mistakes. For example, the Yushu robot knocked over a pedestrian while running and fled.
A Naruto character appeared during the sprint competition.
And during the break in the free fighting competition, a contestant sneak-attacked a staff member.
The overall atmosphere of the competition was very relaxed and enjoyable, with a joyful ambiance everywhere. Compared to competition, this event felt more like a technology exchange meeting for humanity.
Hello everyone, I am Xiao Zhe, and today let’s ponder a question:
What does the Humanoid Robot Olympics mean for human society?
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In a previous article titled “How Far Are Robots from Us?” we mentioned that specialized robot technology is now quite mature. For example, vacuum cleaning robots and robotic arms in factories have already begun large-scale applications and multiple iterations.
This time, the event limited the athletes to humanoid robots. What is the intention behind this? When it comes to running, wouldn’t a car-type robot be faster? If it’s a boxing match, wouldn’t a robot specifically designed for boxing be better than a humanoid robot? Why specifically use humanoid robots for the competition?
The target of humanoid robots is general-purpose robots. Most real-world environments (homes, factories, hospitals, urban facilities) are designed according to human shape and movement logic. Humanoid robots, with their bipedal walking and dual-hand operation capabilities, can work more easily in these “human-built” environments without requiring large-scale modifications.
On the other hand, the upright form that humans have evolved over millions of years is essentially the optimal solution under environmental pressures. Bipedal walking consumes less energy than quadrupedal walking and achieves a remarkable balance between operational freedom (freeing hands) and field of vision.
In other words, humanoid is the optimal individual form on Earth.
If general-purpose humanoid robots are successfully developed, they could take on high-risk, repetitive, and labor-intensive jobs, such as mining operations, disaster rescue, and hazardous material handling. They could also shine in service fields such as elderly care, medical rehabilitation, logistics handling, and hotel and housekeeping services.
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However, this could also bring many social issues, the most serious of which is that they may displace many human jobs. For example, in manufacturing, service, logistics, and nursing industries, humanoid robots may gradually replace a large number of repetitive and physical jobs, ultimately leading to structural shocks in employment.
The jobs most easily replaced may be concentrated in:
Assembly, inspection, and handling processes on manufacturing assembly lines;
Sorting, handling, packing, and delivery processes in logistics and warehousing;
Companionship, feeding, and basic rehabilitation assistance in nursing and housekeeping fields.
These positions typically do not require high educational backgrounds or professional skills and are concentrated among blue-collar, low-skilled laborers. Once they are replaced on a large scale, it will lead to a sharp rise in unemployment rates, especially in labor-intensive industries.
Do not imagine that anyone will consider their feelings and stop the development and application of humanoid robots.
Just like when cars appeared, no one listened to the horse-drawn carriage drivers on the side of the road; people only rushed to buy cars.
On the other hand, the emergence of cars also gave rise to the profession of drivers. In the new era, the development of humanoid robots will also create many new jobs, such as robot maintenance, intelligent services, and so on.
By that time, the biggest beneficiaries will still be the companies and funds investing in robot research and deployment, as well as the technicians engaged in AI algorithms, mechanical design, and intelligent control.
Conclusion
Therefore, rather than worrying about being replaced by AI and robots in the new era, it is better to learn new technical skills in advance to avoid being run over by the wheels of the times.
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