Running is a basic human skill, but when a robot runs, it’s a big deal, and when it runs while doing something it’s probably never done before, it’s cause for fascination, if not celebration.
This week, you’ll see Unitree G1 robots chase a herd of wild boars through the night streets of Poland. In the now-viral short video, the G1 turns a corner, appears to spot the animals, and takes off in pursuit of them as a confused and frightened boar flees. The chase didn’t last long, and as the boars fled into the forest, Unitree G1 stopped and waved farewell.
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Still, we have a strange and growing fascination with humanoid robot racers, ones that don’t just roam from room to room, but can be chased at high speed.
A lot of the footage I saw leading up to this race showed robots running at shocking speeds of up to 4.6 miles per hour. Sure, humans can run almost twice that fast in a marathon, but for humanoid robots this is an advance.
That’s wild
But I don’t know what this running, chasing, racing means.
If you think about how many times you’ll have to run, you’ll probably end up on the train trying to stop your toddler from knocking over that vase. The last time I played darts like that, I crashed into a bed frame and broke my toe. I generally try not to run in places where a brisk walk is enough.
Most home robots from companies like Neo, Figure AI, and Tesla Optimus aren’t shown running. They all move slowly and carefully from room to room and perform most of the home support activities with the same slow, methodical care.
On the other hand, robots in the field always switch to action mode. They chase wild boars and beat up each other (and sometimes humans).
At CES 2026, we saw a group of Unitree G1 robots lined up in a box. Earlier this year, he shocked the world with his choreographed dance and kung fu at China’s Spring Festival celebrations. However, like many other humanoid activities, this too is either thoroughly trained or remotely controlled. The G1 I shook hands with at CES was remote-controlled.
Half of the robots in the Humnoid Half-marathon are autonomous, and the rest are remotely controlled, like the CES Unitree G1. If I were a gambler, I would bet money on the latter to win. Autonomy can only be achieved if half of the robots do not have similar awareness and self-determination. G1 and the other robots will surely (and each other) encounter similar misfortunes.
Still, everyone wants to see robots running. Perhaps they are thinking beyond their homes and factories (where running is probably frowned upon).
‼ ️ Zelensky: For the first time during the war, enemy positions were completely occupied by ground robotic systems and drones, without infantry. Robots entered the most dangerous zones and occupied positions instead of soldiers. «The future is here, on the battlefield, and… pic.twitter.com/maqECUunEjApril 13, 2026
Robots are increasingly being called upon to participate in wars. This week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy declared: “The future is here!” He announced that a small army of robots had captured the position. Now, I don’t know if there was a robot that could run across that battlefield, but I’m sure a robot that could run across difficult terrain in that situation would be useful.
Of course, that’s an extreme case. Meanwhile, bizarre videos of robots chasing animals and running around racetracks trying to beat human competitors remain.
Our concerns run counter to the deep-seated fears we have about a robot uprising. After all, they will run towards us and chase us. Why would you want to see something like that?
Also, I hope those wild boars are safe.
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