The traditional crackle of firecrackers and the warmth of family comedy skits receded into the background this Lunar New Year, as China's most-watched political and cultural showcase, the CCTV Spring Festival Gala, turned into a high-intensity demonstration of the country's technological ambitions. For the Year of the Snake, the invisible “director” was no longer just a human producer, but a cluster of algorithms and large AI models.
A National “Product Launch” for Humanoid Robots
This year, robots were no longer decorative props; they were the main characters. After China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT，中國工信部) designated humanoid robots as a key industry for mass production by 2025, the gala effectively doubled as a nationwide product launch.
Four Chinese humanoid robotics startups—Unitree（宇樹科技）, Galbot（魔法原子）, Noetix（銀河通用）, and MagicLab（松延動力）—shared the limelight throughout the night. Building on a viral 2025 performance, Unitree（宇樹科技）returned with more than a dozen full-sized humanoid robots in red Tang-style costumes and boots. They performed side by side with human dancers, matching movements so precisely that even the tremor of finger joints aligned with their human counterparts.
Each company showcased a distinct technological focus: Galbot（魔法原子）emphasized “embodied large models” for more natural body language; Noetix（銀河通用）delivered a boxing exhibition that highlighted industrial-level power and precision control; MagicLab（松延動力）focused on “intelligent companionship,” placing robots alongside child performers to simulate family scenarios.
Comedy veteran Cai Ming（蔡明）also returned after a 30-year hiatus to co-star with a robot “grandson” in a skit titled “Grandma's Favorite,” where the machine not only traded emotional lines but also responded in real time to spontaneous questions from the audience, offering a tightly managed version of “improv” on a national stage.
From Passive Viewers to “Algorithmic Participants”
While robots dominated the stage, ByteDance's Doubao（字節跳動「豆包」）AI system served as the gala's "invisible director". As the exclusive AI cloud partner, Doubao（豆包）allowed viewers to chat in real time, generate New Year couplets, or transform personal photos into gala dancer costumes via mini-programs.
Behind the interactive interface, the system also functioned as a tool for public opinion guidance. Doubao（豆包）was observed generating "positive energy" answers; for instance, inquiries about the economy were directed toward "high-quality development under Party leadership". All interaction data was uploaded in real time for analysis by propaganda and internet information departments.
Visually, the show utilized the Seedance 2.0 video-generation model. This AI system generated real-time background effects, virtual fireworks, and galloping horse imagery, marking what officials described as the world's first deep integration of a domestic AI video model into a national gala.
AI-Enabled “Cross-Strait Family” Messaging
Beneath the tech spectacle, Beijing maintained its "Cross-Strait Family" narrative. Ten Taiwanese entertainers appeared, headlined by the ensemble performance "Formosa Love Songs" featuring Hu Defu（胡德夫）, Winnie Hsin（辛曉琪）, Annie Yi（伊能靜）, Steve Chou（周傳雄）, Alec Su（蘇有朋）, Patty Hou（侯佩岑）, Nana Ouyang（歐陽娜娜）, and Chen Linong（陳立農）.
The lyrics emphasized that the mainland and Taiwan are "connected by blood, sharing the Chinese dream".
Additional segments fused celebrity culture with technological themes. Jerry Yan（言承旭）joined Jackson Yee（易烊千璽）in "Manufacturing the Future," a song explicitly linking idol culture to "intelligence empowers the country" imagery.
Cross-Generational “Human–Robot” Icons
One of the most talked-about performances paired 29-year-old Wang Yibo（王一博）with 61-year-old “Dance King” Aaron Kwok（郭富城）. Wang（王一博）appeared in a futuristic outfit, executing street-dance routines while humanoid robots replicated his signature moves with uncanny precision. Despite his age, Kwok（郭富城）delivered trademark high kicks and spinning flourishes, creating a cross-generational dialogue with Wang's youthful energy.
By the time the extravaganza concluded, the underlying message was clear: the 2026 CCTV Spring Festival Gala functioned as a precision-engineered machine outputting vetted "positive energy". As audiences adapt to the "gentle embrace" of algorithms, traditional spontaneous emotions and authenticity may become increasingly rare relics on the gala stage. （Related： Interview | Why China’s “Run-to-Japan” Wave Is Now Planning a Second Move ｜ Latest ）
Original Article in Chinese
