Certificate for the Terminator Why China opened schools for robots (3 photos + 2 videos)

Yesterday, 14:50

While we're trying to force ourselves to wake up at the first alarm, a new school has opened in Beijing where skipping classes is impossible and lunch breaks are limited to battery charging time.

Meet the Beijing Humanoid Robot Training Center—a place where yesterday's "pieces of iron" are transformed into skilled professionals.

This isn't just a laboratory, but a full-fledged simulation of life. The center's two floors recreate real-world settings: from harsh factory floors to cozy kitchens. Here, robots are taught to do things we do automatically: pack parcels, sort endless wires, and even cook.

The training process resembles a scene from a cyberpunk movie. Each "student" is assigned at least two mentors. One literally leads the robot by the hand or demonstrates movements through a VR headset, while the other records the data on a computer. For a machine to learn to distinguish a frying pan from a computer case and confidently manipulate them, approximately 1,250 repetitions of the same action are required.

But don't think that graduates are preparing only for dreary everyday life. The new year 2026 began in China with a grand technological manifesto. On New Year's TV shows, humanoid robots demonstrated that they can not only carry boxes but also fend for themselves.

Dozens of machines performed kung fu and tai chi in sync with living martial artists. Deep lunges, sharp turns, and perfect balance aren't just a spectacle. For engineers, it's a way to demonstrate that robotic joints and actuators have achieved "human-level" control. If a robot can smoothly perform a crane stance, it can certainly serve you a glass of water without breaking it.