The inaugural China International Robotics Debate Competition reached a pivotal stage as its semifinals were held in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, commonly referred to as Beijing ETown, on Sunday. This groundbreaking event saw four teams secure their spots in the highly anticipated final round, scheduled for November 9. The semifinals introduced a unique cross-team format, pitting human debaters against robotic counterparts from other teams, determined by a random draw. A total of 10 teams participated in this innovative challenge, showcasing the capabilities of their AI-driven debate systems. Unlike traditional debate competitions, the judges refrained from declaring winners or losers. Instead, they assessed the robots across five critical dimensions: logical reasoning, language proficiency, multimodal interaction, skill demonstration, and adaptability. According to the organizers, this evaluation method provides a comprehensive assessment of the robots’ large model training and hardware calibration, highlighting the technological advancements in AI and robotics. The competition not only underscores China’s leadership in AI innovation but also sets a new benchmark for human-machine interaction in intellectual contests. The final round promises to be a thrilling culmination of this pioneering event, drawing global attention to the evolving landscape of AI and its applications.