China's Spring Festival Gala Features AI-Powered Robot Dance Performance
The world's most-watched TV program showcased cutting-edge robotics and cultural traditions, blending technology with folk art in a record-breaking broadcast.
- The 2025 Spring Festival Gala drew 2.8 billion views, making it the most-watched annual broadcast globally, according to preliminary statistics.
- A highlight of the event was a synchronized yangge dance performed by 16 humanoid robots from Unitree Robotics alongside human dancers from Xinjiang Arts University.
- The robots, powered by Alibaba Cloud technology, used advanced AI to process spatial data in real time, enabling precise and humanlike movements.
- Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Zhang Yimou, the performance marked the first large-scale, fully AI-driven humanoid robot dance in history.
- The gala also featured performances by international artists, including American band OneRepublic, and incorporated subtle political messaging about national unity and technological progress.
South China Morning Post 
The Times 
Business Insider 
