A Chinese RoboCop-in-training is now conditioning itself to outrun you.
Shenzhen startup EngineAI just shared footage of its short humanoid robot, the PM01, running outside for the first time. The robot could be training for next month’s half marathon in Beijing, during which dozens of humanoid robots will run alongside more than 12,000 human runners.
The robot could be training for next month’s half marathon in Beijing, during which dozens of humanoid robots will run alongside more than 12,000 human runners.
EngineAI introduced the PM01 humanoid, which is clearly inspired by RoboCop and Iron Man, in December 2024, undercutting Unitree’s G1 with its $13K entry price. The company compared the robot to The Terminator in its post on BiliBili, a Chinese video sharing site.
EngineAI says cushioning devices on the robot’s soles help it run cooly. In the video, the robot also comes to a quick stop without stumbling.
The PM01 is a downsized version of Engine’s full-sized flagship humanoid robot, the SE01. The startup captured significant global attention when it emerged from seemingly out of nowhere in October 2024 with a demo showcasing the full-sized humanoid’s shockingly human-like walking gait. The PM01 is also noted for its strut.
The running demo comes two weeks after EngineAI boasted the shorter robot’s ability to do a front flip, a world first in humanoid robotics. A week later, EngineAI shared cheeky footage of the PM01 vacationing at a Marriot resort. The video was apparently made in collaboration with Marriot but it’s unclear if any robots have been deployed at the hotel.
The city of Shenzhen is integrating Engine’s robots into its operations as it transforms itself into an AI-driven metropolis. Video clips circulating on social media show PM01 robots undergoing regular training in public, assisting police officers on the streets, and interacting with the public.
According to EngineAI, the PM01 features advanced visual perception capabilities thanks to its Intel RealSense depth camera. It features an interactive core screen on the chest of its aluminum alloy exoskeleton. It’s powered by Intel N97 and Nvidia Jetson Orin processors.
Standing 1.38 meters, the PM01 is 32 centimeters shorter than Engine’s full-sized humanoid. Weighing 40 kg, the PM 1 has 24 degrees of freedom (DoF), with DoF in its joint motors allowing for smooth and dynamic movements. Its swappable battery lasts for about 2 hours per charge.
EngineAI trains its robots using reinforcement learning in Nvidia’s Isaac Simulator. They receive feedback from the simulation and, over time, figure out how to adapt and become more human like. With this approach, a robot doesn’t need to physically exist yet to start training.
Once a robot’s digital twin finishes training, the learning is transferred to the real robot via a process called Sim2Real, short for Simulation to Reality. EngineAI hasn’t reported the PM01’s running speed, but it’s facing tough competition for the upcoming half marathon.
China plans to use the race to showcase the rapid evolution of its AI-powered humanoid robots. For robots to qualify, they must have a human form factor and bipedal walking capabilities. Wheels are prohibited. Each time a robot needs a battery swap, 10 minutes will be added to its time.
Tiangong, Beijing’s indigenously built, open-source humanoid, has been training on its home turf for months for the upcoming spectacle. The robot, developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, has a last reported speed of 12 km/h (7.5 mph). That’s double the speed it maxed out at less than a year ago.
The humanoid participated in the Beijing Yizhuang Half Marathon in November 2024. The AI robot joined the race about 100 meters from the finish line, serving as a closing pacer.
If Tiangong keeps it up, it could outpace fellow Beijing startup Robot Era’s Star1, which is just 1 km/h faster. The Star1 humanoid dethroned Unitree’s H1 as the fastest humanoid robot on two feet last October. During the record-setting run in the Gobi Desert’s Hexi Corridor, testing confirmed that the robot ran faster in sneakers than barefoot.
The fixation on speed is unique to China. The People’s Republic aims to scale mass production of humanoids throughout 2025 and rule the emerging market by 2027. In the West, perceived leaders like Tesla, Figure AI, Agility Robotics, Boston Dynamics, and 1X Technologies emphasize dexterity and manipulation capabilities for industrial and household tasks.
Unitree’s G1, which has become ubiquitous at AI and robotics events, is also a likely competitor. Like EngineAI, Unitree relies on Nvidia’s technology to achieve fluid movements and human-like bipedal locomotion.
ENGINE AI was founded in October 2023 by Zhao Tongyang, who the South China Morning Post calls a prominent figure in the People’s Republic’s robotics industry. He launched Dogotix in Shenzhen in 2016, and the company unveiled its quadrupedal robot to the market in 2020. That same year, XPeng acquired the robotics firm for nearly 100 million dollars.
The founder led the team at Xpeng Robotics that developed the Chinese EV maker’s first humanoid robot prototype, the PX5. Zhao left Xpeng in 2023, securing nearly $14 million in angel seed funding for his then-secret humanoid robot project. Xpeng is now testing its next-generation humanoid robot named Iron at its factories.