Artificial intelligence and robotics (AIR) have entered a pivotal stage, highlighted by the 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and the World Humanoid Robot Games in China. These events showcased advances in humanoid robotics, parallel intelligence, and digital-twin experimentation, while also exposing hardware limits and governance challenges. Beyond competition, they underscored scenario-driven deployment in manufacturing, healthcare, and services, redirecting capital toward real-world applications. At the same time, AIR reframed public perception, positioning robots as partners rather than replacements, and raised urgent questions on ethics, policy, and social inclusion. The AIR era thus represents not just technological convergence but the emergence of a knowledge-driven industrial ecosystem that must remain human-centered and globally collaborative.