Robotic performers took center stage once again on America’s Got Talent Season 21, as Unitree introduced a new generation of humanoid machines designed for synchronized performance.
Unlike last season, when Boston Dynamics’ robotic dogs impressed audiences with coordinated dance routines before exiting in the quarterfinals, this year’s showcase leaned fully into human-like robotics performing alongside a live dancer.
Chinese performer Yufei Wu, a 26-year-old dancer from Sichuan, appeared on stage with the Unitree robots, moving to Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra” in a tightly choreographed routine that highlighted both precision engineering and live performance art.
“I think no one comes here that doesn’t crave victory,” Wu said ahead of the performance.
The act immediately drew strong reactions from the judges. Mel B described the performance as “so freaky,” while also praising the synchronization between the dancer and the machines.
Simon Cowell was equally stunned, saying, “They don’t look human, but they’re all staring at me right now. That was insane. Nuts, but brilliant.”
He added that despite how artificial the performers were, the execution felt remarkably alive on stage.
Sofía Vergara also expressed surprise at how natural the movements appeared, noting that most robotic performances in the past had felt awkward or mechanical.
“I’ve never seen anything like this because usually the robots are very weird,” she said. “These ones have rhythm. It was like watching people dance and you are amazing.”
During the segment, Mel B even asked whether the robots had names. Wu confirmed that they did, explaining that one of the machines was named Jackie, inspired by its connection to kung-fu, which it also demonstrated briefly during the act.
Mel B praised the routine for its precision, pointing out that the choreography was so exact that any lack of synchronization would have stood out more in the human performer than the machines themselves.
When the votes were cast, the result was unanimous: four yeses, sending the Unitree act forward in the competition.
The performance also underscored how quickly robotics technology is evolving in entertainment spaces, with humanoid systems now moving beyond novelty appearances into fully choreographed stage acts capable of competing on global television formats.
