Artificial humanoids display abilities at the Ancient Olympia, yet they lag considerably behind in AI development.

In a groundbreaking event held at Ancient Olympia, Greece, the International Humanoid Olympiad brought together roboticists from around the world to discuss and demonstrate the future of humanoid robots. Organized by Minas Liarokapis, a Greek academic and startup founder, the event gathered experts and developers to share their latest advancements in the field.

One of the highlights of the event was the performance of Boston Dynamics' dog-like Spot robots, which danced in synchrony to a Queen song on "America's Got Talent." Despite a brief malfunction mid-routine, the performance showcased the agility and coordination of these advanced machines. Judge Simon Cowell commented on the breakdown, stating that it made the performance more realistic and challenging.

Elsewhere, Elon Musk revealed Tesla's Optimus prototype at a public event. The robot walked stiffly onstage and turned to wave to a cheering crowd, demonstrating the progress being made in humanoid robotics.

The biological computer developed by Cortical Labs, led by Hon Weng Chong, was another key focus of the event. This innovative technology can learn and respond to information, potentially teaching robots to think and adapt more like humans.

However, the development of humanoid robots faces challenges. AI is racing ahead thanks to vast amounts of data readily available online, but training material for humanoid robots is scarce. According to an article in the journal Science Robotics, humanlike robots are roughly 100,000 years behind AI in learning from data.

To overcome these challenges, collaboration between researchers, data companies, and major manufacturers is essential. Luis Sentis, a professor at The University of Texas at Austin, emphasized the need for such collaboration to provide scale in robotics. Ken Goldberg, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, suggested combining "old-fashioned engineering" with real-world training to catch up.

The event also highlighted the success of Chinese companies in the field. Few U.S. roboticists brought robots to the International Humanoid Olympiad, while Chinese companies increasingly showcase their machines at public events. Developers participating in the event included teams like Unitree Robotics from China, a leading humanoid robot maker, and organizations such as OpenAI, which have demonstrated advanced AI models that contribute to humanoid robotics and general-purpose reasoning enhancements.

As the field of humanoid robotics continues to evolve, the International Humanoid Olympiad aims to lay a foundation for annual competitions. Aadeel Akhtar, CEO and founder of advanced prosthetics maker Psyonic, believes the data from his bionic hand could accelerate robot development. Liarokapis, meanwhile, predicts that humanoids will go to space before entering houses, and it will take more than 10 years for them to execute tasks with dexterity.

Despite the challenges, the future of humanoid robotics looks promising. With events like the International Humanoid Olympiad driving innovation and collaboration, we can expect to see significant advancements in the years to come.