At the just-concluded Second World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, a string of comic moments went viral online: Racing robots slammed into crash pads after the finish line, throwing sparks; obstacle-course robots landed on face-first; weightlifting robots lumbered toward the judges' table with barbells still in hand, sending officials scrambling out of the way. 

Why we’re no longer afraid of robots making fools of themselves

By Zhang Gupeng

A few years ago, these robotic blunders would have been ridiculed. Now, the mockery has faded - replaced by understanding, patience, and a real sense of anticipation for future progress. The change is not only because people know robots better. A deeper reason is simpler: We are no longer afraid of robots making fools of themselves. That composure comes from real confidence in China's homegrown tech industry - and from a clearer public grasp of how technology actually advances. When humanoid robots were still a novelty, falls and losses of control mostly fed curiosity. Public attitudes have now moved past that surface-level fascination. People have developed a steady expectation of growth. Breakthroughs in motion algorithms, precision sensing and other core technologies mean Chinese robots are entering real-world use. The public, too, has begun looking at the field more rationally.

Public tolerance is not infinite. It is built on visible progress. The games produced plenty of bloopers, but they also showed leapfrog gains: faster sprints, smoother high-level jumps, autonomous maneuvering in complex environments, and increasingly refined strength and coordination. Just like a toddler learning to walk, the robots are taking one step after another. A clear public expectation has taken shape: Today's imperfections and small mistakes can be fixed and improved. That reliable sense of iteration explains why people are willing to tolerate stumbles and wait for what comes next. A few falls cannot hide the industry's broad, solid accumulation.

One minute on stage takes 10 years of work off it. Spectators see blooper reels; researchers see invaluable data. Every mistake is a chance for targeted improvement and experience for the next upgrade. In that sense, "making fools of themselves" on the field is simply the necessary path for intelligent humanoid robots to grow fast.

A mature public response reflects a society that has come to understand science and innovation on a deeper level. We now recognize that no hard-tech industry rises without a long stretch of stumbles and errors. The essence of innovation is not perfection, it is the courage to explore and the discipline to correct course. We accept today's rough edges because we trust the power of iteration and believe that sustained effort will eventually clear the bottlenecks.

China's new-energy and photovoltaic industries walked the same road. They started with raw technology and high costs. But researchers and companies did not sit and wait, they instead kept testing, refining, and filling gaps until those sectors became globally leading name cards of Chinese manufacturing.

Success in new energy and photovoltaics came after countless failures; persistence alone does not guarantee the same result. Allowing stumbles and mistakes does not mean ignoring shortcomings, dodging problems, or lowering technical standards.

For the robotics industry, the public's patience is both the best environment for growth and a weighty expectation. High-tech companies should treat that trust as something to live up to - break through with solid work, raise quality through technology, and answer with results. They need to keep correcting and refining so they do not waste the patience and hope society has given them.

From watching robots for the spectacle to watching progress and iteration, the public's attitude toward robot mistakes indicates a more mature innovation climate and a more confident social mindset. Domestic humanoid robots will still stumble. Yet each setback offers an opportunity to grow; each repair is a step forward. The culture that will truly carry China's robotics sector is one that embraces exploration, tolerates setbacks and never stops refining. 

The author is a professor at the School of Public Policy and Management, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and executive director of the Chinese Association of Development Strategy Studies. [email protected]

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202608/1369202.shtml