Beijing Hosts First Fully Autonomous AI Robot Football Match

Beijing Hosts First Fully Autonomous AI Robot Football Match
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China recently hosted its first fully autonomous AI-powered robot football match, featuring four teams of humanoid robots competing in three-a-side games, The Guardian reported. The event showcased the latest advancements in robotics but also highlighted the current limitations of AI in sports.

Footage from the matches revealed robots struggling to kick the ball accurately and maintain balance, with several falling over and requiring assistance to stand. Despite these challenges, the competition marked a significant step in testing humanoid robots in dynamic, real-world scenarios.

Booster Robotics, the company behind the robot players, sees sports competitions as ideal environments to develop and improve humanoid robots. Founder Cheng Hao expressed optimism about future matches between robots and humans, emphasizing the importance of safety.

University teams programmed the robots with their own algorithms. The event demonstrated both the robots’ progress and the potential for further development, with experts noting an upward trend in robot learning and autonomy.

While AI robots are not yet ready to replace human footballers, this milestone points toward exciting future possibilities in robotics and sports.