Robots Ignite Sales Frenzy After CCTV Gala Show

Robots didn't just entertain audiences at the 2026 Spring Festival Gala, they opened wallets too.

Within two hours of the broadcast on February 16, e-commerce giant JD.com reported a 300 percent surge in searches for "robots," a 460 percent spike in customer inquiries, and a 150 percent jump in orders compared to the previous period, according to The Paper.

The buying frenzy spanned over 100 cities, from first-tier metropolises to smaller counties, signaling a nationwide appetite for intelligent machines.

The catalyst? A dazzling display of technological prowess on China's biggest stage.

Martial Arts Masters

For the third time, Unitree Robotics took center stage, partnering with the Henan Tagou Martial Arts School for a performance titled "Wu BOT."

Unlike previous years where robots simply walked or danced, Unitree's G1 and H2 humanoids performed alongside human actors, executing backflips, wielding staffs and swords, and even mimicking drunken boxing.

"The progress is shocking," commented one netizen. "Last year they were just spinning handkerchiefs; now they're martial arts masters."

Unitree founder Wang Xingxing revealed that the robots achieved instantaneous speeds of over 3 meters per second while maintaining precise formation – a global first for high-dynamic cluster control technology. "We challenged limits that even some human martial artists might struggle with," Wang told CCTV.

Pandas and Breakdancers

The spectacle extended beyond the main stage. At the Yibin branch venue, 100 "Robot Pandas" – modified quadruped robots from Magic Atom – performed a synchronized dance in a crowded city square.

Despite the challenges of heat dissipation under "panda skin" costumes and wireless interference, the team achieved millisecond-level synchronization for the world's first large-scale quadruped cluster performance.

Meanwhile, Magic Atom's humanoid robots, the MagicBot Z1 and Gen1, danced alongside pop stars Jackson Yee and Jerry Yan, showing off breakdancing moves like Thomas flares.

From Stage to Life

The gala has proven to be a powerful showcase for China's rapidly evolving robotics industry. Wang emphasizes that the goal isn't just entertainment.

"We hope that as AI capabilities improve, humanoid robots will take on more dangerous or heavy labor, truly increasing productivity and improving everyone's standard of living," he said.