The 2025 CCTV Spring Festival Gala, a hallmark of Chinese New Year celebrations, took an unexpected turn this year with the debut of Hangzhou Yushu Technology’s humanoid robots in a performance titled “Yang BOT.” Directed by the acclaimed filmmaker Zhang Yimou, the show featured 16 humanoid robots dressed in customary attire, dancing alongside human performers in a fusion of technology and culture. However, the performance sparked controversy as viewers noticed several “missteps” by the robots, raising questions about the reliability of the technology on such a prestigious stage.
The robots, equipped with advanced AI algorithms, were designed to mimic human movements and even “understand” music, according to Ms. Chen from Yushu Technology’s marketing department. Yet, during the live broadcast, some robots exhibited exaggerated dance steps, awkwardly raised handkerchiefs, and other erratic actions. These moments led to widespread speculation about technical glitches. “Is there a problem with technology? How can such an important stage make mistakes?” questioned some viewers.
Yushu Technology quickly addressed the concerns, stating that the “weird” actions were intentionally designed to add humor and “bring joy” to the audience. Though,this explanation was met with skepticism. Netizen ”Humble Hou Ye” commented on Weibo, “Is it difficult to admit mistakes? If it was really intentional, it’s the effect of the program designed in advance, and it has nothing to do with the mistake.”
Adding fuel to the fire, a video shared by netizen “damo Fish” revealed backstage footage of the robots faltering as they were remotely controlled by staff. The robots, adorned with flowers and handkerchiefs, appeared unstable, with some nearly toppling over. This raised comparisons to the more stable robots developed by Boston Dynamics, a leading American robotics company.
despite the controversy, the “Yang BOT” performance marked a notable milestone in the integration of robotics into cultural events. It showcased the potential of AI-driven humanoid robots to perform complex tasks,even if the execution wasn’t flawless. The incident has sparked a broader conversation about the challenges of deploying cutting-edge technology in live performances and the importance of openness when things don’t go as planned.
| Key Highlights of the “Yang BOT” Performance |
|————————————————–|
| Director | Zhang Yimou |
| Robotics company | Hangzhou Yushu Technology |
| Number of Robots | 16 |
| Performance Style | Traditional Yangge dance |
| Controversy | Erratic robot movements |
| Company Response | Actions were “carefully designed” for humor |
The 2025 Spring Festival Gala will undoubtedly be remembered for its bold attempt to blend tradition with innovation, even if it stumbled along the way. As technology continues to evolve, such performances serve as a reminder of the delicate balance between ambition and execution. title=”1月28日晚，在2025年央视春晚的舞台上，导演张艺谋与杭州宇树科技合作推出的舞蹈节目中，16个人形机器人H1身着花坎肩，手持手绢，与舞蹈演员一起扭秧歌，而表演中却出现“翻车”、“失误”。 ｜#中国新闻 新唐人大纪元联合频道” src=”https://www.ganjingworld.com/zh-CN/embed/1hcs1b14j7l6YlwvnNdubbwSI1pu1c” width=”560″ height=”315″ frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”>
Liu Qian, an interactive magician in the background of the Spring Festival Gala, was “touched porcelain”
Taiwanese magician Liu Qian encountered a robot in the background of the Spring Festival Gala on January 30. As soon as he reached out, he had to hold a friendly claw, but the other party suddenly “kneeled down”, scared Liu Qian and shouted the grievance: “It’s not me!”
Netizens laughed and said: “This is the strongest magic, so that AI can’t hold it!” … pic.twitter.com/QDwS6Bh6wq-the Epoch Times January 31, 2025
According to Tianyancha, Yushu Technology is an artificial intelligence startup from Hangzhou. Founded in 2016,the founder wang Xingxing. The company launched a four -foot robot Unitree GO2 in 2023 and released the first humanoid robot H1. In May 2024, the humanoid robot G1 was launched. Lu Media said that the latest version of G1 was “the strongest robot on the surface”.
However, in the CCTV Spring Festival Gala in 2025, Yushu Technology did not allow the “strongest robot to the surface” G1, but performed by H1.
It is worth mentioning that in December 2024, the UNITREE H1 humanoid robot also had a turning over at a exhibition held in Nanjing.
According to fast technology reports, in the process of Yushu Technology’s display, this humanoid robot suddenly stood unstable. Although the staff quickly passed the support, the robot fell to the ground.What is even more outrageous is that after the robot fell to the ground, the phenomenon of convulsions was very similar to the whole body convulsions.
The wolf after the robot fell to the ground, in sharp contrast to the promotional video on the big screen behind the booth. In the video,the robot showed flexible actions such as bounces and climbing buildings,but the robots in reality fell to the ground to “convulsions”,The contrast is very strong.
Regarding the “mistakes” of the CCTV Spring Festival Gala in 2025, some netizens also revealed the “rollover” picture of domestic robots, including Yushu Technology, causing netizens to laugh at it.
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