Unitree Robots Bring Chinese Kung Fu and Traditional Culture to America's Got Talent Finals

America's Got Talent, the summer competition series that has topped U.S. ratings for 20 consecutive years, wrapped its 21st season with a finals night that included a Chinese team for the first time in the show's history.

Unitree Technology appeared on the finals stage together with Chengdu Houmisi Dance Crew and dancer FlyingBug (Wu Yufei).

It marked both the only Chinese team ever to reach the finals in 21 seasons and the first time Unitree's humanoid robots have stood on the globally watched stage.

Unitree's quarterfinal routine was a kung fu program titled "Lotus," which drew unanimous praise from the judges. After the debut, the official video quickly passed 6 million views.

On stage, Unitree's robots and the dancers merged Chinese martial arts with hip-hop rhythms.

Flying jump kicks and close-range attack-and-defense exchanges were carried out in tightly coordinated human-machine sequences.

The performance won applause from the entire hall. Judge Howie Mandel said at the time that it might be the season's "most viral moment."

Sofia Vergara went further and pressed the Golden Buzzer, sending the team straight past the semifinals and into the finals.

In the finals, Unitree's robots switched to traditional water sleeves. The G1-W wheeled robot used its wheel-leg structure to complete sliding turns, while the G1 robot performed kneeling, rolling and front flips, trading moves at a distance with Chengdu Houmisi Dance Crew and dancer FlyingBug.

As the dancers brushed ink across the stage, an ink-wash landscape unfurled behind them.

On the results night, Unitree also shared the stage with well-known DJ Steve Aoki, pushing the blend of technology and party atmosphere to a peak.

Finals rankings on America's Got Talent this season were decided by votes from U.S. audiences, and overseas viewers could not take part directly.

In the head-to-head round, Unitree faced a strong rival whose country's prime minister had publicly campaigned for the contestant in advance, gathering substantial viewer support; Unitree did not advance further.

Even so, Unitree says it places more value on what the appearance meant: bringing humanoid robots to a world-class stage and putting Chinese kung fu, water-sleeve dance and frontier technology under the same spotlight.

The company says it wants traditional culture to be seen by global audiences, and Chinese robots to do more than walk and flip — to take part in expression and creation, which it considers more important than the ranking.

Unitree performed "Splendid Rivers and Mountains" in the finals.

Competitions end; breakthroughs do not. Unitree says it will keep moving forward.