Buzzy Chinese startup EngineAI is showing off its short humanoid robot’s dancing as it pays homage to classic Hong Kong cinema.
In its newest demo, the AI-powered PM01 robot wields two axes dressed like an old-school gangster alongside two professional dancers. According to Shenzhen-based EngineAI, the humanoid robot spent hours training with professional choreographers to nail dance moves from the 2004 film Kung Fu Hustle.
The video was immediately met with skepticism online as viewers questioned whether the dance routine was sped up, CGI, or AI generated. To address skeptics, EngineAI shared raw footage and encouraged viewers to inspect it closely.
“Doubters said it was sped up? Here’s the unedited one-take raw,” the company said on the X social media platform. “Try pausing ANY frame. Who’s got the guts to outdo THIS?”
The action comedy, directed by and starring Stephen Chow, follows a small-time crook named Sing in 1940s China who tries to join a powerful street gang. As he struggles to impress the Axe Gang, which controls the city with fear and violence, Sing discovers his true destiny as a martial arts master.
Kung Fu Hustle’s mix of humor and over-the-top fight scenes make it feel like a live-action cartoon. The scene EngineAI recreates is one of the most remembered moments in the movie with its combination of choreographed dancing and high-octane action.
EngineAI says the robotic dancing is made possible with the humanoid’s precision joints, force-control algorithms, and 24 degrees of freedom (DoF).
Standing 138 centimeters (4 feet 5 inches), the PM01 is a scaled-down version of EngineAI’s flagship humanoid robot, the SE01. EngineAI introduced the lightweight bot in December 2024, offering it starting at under $14K. The price point is notable for undercutting Unitree’s G1 then record-low $16K entry price.
The PM01 is the latest robot to join China’s ongoing dance-off that started when 16 full-sized Unitree H1 humanoid robots captivated the world with their performance during the 2025 Spring Gala celebration. The spectacle, aired on China’s most-watched TV show, was seen by more than a billion viewers.
Like Hangzhou-based Unitree Robotics, EngineAI trains its robots within Nvidia’s Isaac Simulator with reinforcement learning.
Digital twins of the robots learn through trial and error in the simulation environment before the learning is transferred to the physical hardware via a process called Sim2Real, short for Simulation to Reality. The method means robots don’t need to physically exist yet to start training and that advanced capabilities can be transitioned to other models with relative ease.
Teaching robots to dance offers many benefits beyond entertainment. Adjusting movements in real-time makes them better at handling unexpected situations. Mastering dance routines also helps robots understand complex patterns and improve decision making.
EngineAI’s fast rise was fueled by nearly $14 million in early funding led by Chinese artificial intelligence tech giant SenseTime. EngineAI’s founder, Zhao Tongyang previously founded Shenzhen-based Dogotix in 2016. Chinese EV maker XPENG bought it for nearly $100 million in 2020. Tongyang led the automotive manufacturer’s humanoid robotics program, developing its first prototype called the PX5, before leaving to launch EngineAI in 2023.
In a recent interview with China Daily, the founder predicted that humanoid robots will enter ordinary households within the next 10 years. He noted that the industry is still very much in its iterative phase akin to the dawn of smartphones in the aughts.
“Constant iterations are needed so the performance and cost-effectiveness will continue to improve,” he said.
The visual design of EngineAI’s robots clearly channel iconic figures in science fiction.
The startup’s humanoid robots have a sleek visor-like sensor array reminiscent of RoboCop’s helmet. EngineAI’s lab, which is featured in its viral demonstration videos, is decorated with obvious references to the titular character from the 1987 dystopian sci-fi thriller.
The SE01 and PM01 humanoids are also inspired by Iron Man. They have interactive circular modules on their chests similar to Tony Stark’s arc reactor that keeps him alive.
EngineAI’s own marketing materials often use sci-fi language explicitly. A promotional video showcasing the PM01’s running capabilities directly referenced The Terminator, and the startup describes the robot’s human-like walking gait as “terrifying” in a YouTube description.
The startup plans to manufacture at least 1,000 humanoid robots in 2025 as it aims to expand across industries in the next few years. EngineAI’s ultimate goal is to sell robots that act and interact with people just like real humans.