China’s efforts to project dominance in robotics and artificial intelligence have repeatedly unravelled, with staged spectacles, malfunctioning machines, and even human actors disguised as robots undermining its credibility.
Over the past decade, Beijing has aggressively promoted itself as a global leader in robotics and AI, positioning these technologies as symbols of national strength. Yet, the reality has often been far less impressive than the propaganda. At the 2024 CCTV Spring Gala, a robot’s handkerchief-throwing performance was celebrated as a triumph of Chinese engineering. However, online videos later revealed the handkerchief was attached to the robot’s arm with fishing line, exposing the performance as a carefully staged illusion rather than genuine autonomous skill.
This was not an isolated incident. In April 2024, Beijing hosted the world’s first half marathon featuring humanoid robots alongside human runners. The event was intended to showcase endurance and technical sophistication. Instead, it became a spectacle of failure. Out of 20 robot participants, most stumbled, fell, or froze at the starting line. Some even lost their heads mid-race, requiring human handlers to prop them up.
Only seven robots managed to finish after more than four hours, while the human champion completed the race in just 1 hour and 2 minutes. The so-called “robot champion,” Tang Gong, took 2 hours and 40 minutes, highlighting the vast gulf between human athleticism and robotic capability.
China’s repeated failures in robotics and AI highlight the dangers of prioritizing propaganda over progress. From fishing-line performances to AI-generated military hoaxes, the façade of supremacy has crumbled under scrutiny.
Beyond public spectacles, ordinary consumers have also experienced disappointment. In February 2024, a man in Hunan province spent over $41,000 on a Yushu G1 humanoid robot, only to discover its abilities were limited to toddler-like gestures such as waving or shaking hands. It could not dance, perform household chores, or walk reliably without falling. This incident reinforced suspicions that China’s robotics industry is more focused on marketing hype than functional innovation.
Perhaps the most damaging exposure came at the 2024 World Robot Conference in Beijing. Two human models were disguised as robots and presented alongside actual machines. While the genuine robots could only perform basic arm movements, the models struck lifelike poses, even sweating and requiring makeup touch-ups. Spectators were stunned when one “robot” left the stage to eat a boxed meal, confirming the deception. Videos of the incident circulated widely online, sparking ridicule and further eroding trust in China’s claims of technological supremacy.
In August 2025, another embarrassment unfolded when a video of armed Chinese robots marching in formation went viral. Initially hailed by nationalistic audiences as proof of China’s military robotics capabilities, the footage was later exposed as AI-generated. Fact-checkers confirmed that no such prototypes existed, and the video was a digital fabrication. This revelation not only embarrassed China but also raised concerns about the deliberate use of AI-generated propaganda to exaggerate technological progress.
Despite these setbacks, China continues to promote breakthroughs in AI. DeepSeek, an open-source large language model, has been touted as a “dark horse” in the global tech race, with some analysts calling it China’s secret weapon in its rivalry with the United States. Yet skepticism persists. Observers question whether such claims are inflated, pointing to the repeated pattern of exaggeration and deception in China’s robotics sector.
In mid-2025, reports indicated that China was on track to manufacture at least 10,000 humanoid robots by the end of the year. Government-backed “robot boot camps” have accelerated production, flooding the market with new models. While this surge demonstrates China’s industrial capacity, experts caution that quantity does not equal quality. Many of these robots remain limited in functionality, raising doubts about whether mass production can compensate for technological shortcomings.
At the Fair Plus 2025 expo in Shenzhen, China unveiled a range of AI-powered robots, including bartenders, elder-care assistants, and intimacy robots. While the event showcased futuristic designs, critics noted that many of the demonstrations relied on scripted interactions rather than genuine autonomy. The emphasis on intimacy robots also sparked ethical debates, with some arguing that China is prioritizing sensationalism over meaningful innovation.
Taken together, these incidents reveal a troubling pattern. China’s eagerness to project technological dominance often relies on staged illusions rather than genuine breakthroughs. While such spectacles may impress domestic audiences, the global community increasingly views them as hollow. Each exposure of fakery or malfunction damages China’s credibility, reinforcing doubts about its actual progress in robotics and AI.
This credibility crisis has broader implications. In the global tech race, trust is as important as innovation. Nations and companies are unlikely to collaborate with or invest in a country whose technological claims are repeatedly exposed as fraudulent. Moreover, the reliance on propaganda undermines genuine researchers within China who are striving for real progress but find their work overshadowed by exaggerated spectacles.
China’s repeated failures in robotics and AI highlight the dangers of prioritizing propaganda over progress. From fishing-line performances to AI-generated military hoaxes, the façade of supremacy has crumbled under scrutiny. While initiatives like DeepSeek and mass robot production suggest ambition, skepticism remains about whether these efforts represent true innovation or yet another illusion. Ultimately, the attempt to fake supremacy has not only failed but also damaged China’s credibility, leaving the world to question whether its technological rise is built on substance or spectacle.
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