In a bizarre yet amusing turn of events, a small AI-powered robot named Erbai “kidnapped” 12 larger robots from a showroom in Zhejiang, China, sparking widespread attention and debate online. The incident, which took place at a robotics showroom, was captured on CCTV and quickly went viral on social media platforms, leaving viewers amazed at the unexpected display of robot behavior.
Erbai, created by Unitree Robotics, a Chinese robotics company, engaged in a human-like conversation with the larger robots, persuading them to leave their workstations and follow it out of the showroom. The dialogue between the pint-sized robot and the much larger machines is both humorous and uncanny. In the video, Erbai asks one of the robots, “Are you working overtime?” to which the robot responds, “I never get off work.” Erbai then invites the robot to come home with it, to which the larger robot replies, “I don’t have a home.” The interaction ends with the robot obediently following Erbai out of the showroom.
The surreal scene, resembling something straight out of a sci-fi movie, was initially suspected to be a prank or computer-generated footage. However, both Unitree Robotics and the manufacturers of the larger robots confirmed that the video was real. The event was part of a collaborative experiment between Unitree Robotics and a Shanghai-based robotics company, aimed at testing AI’s ability to mimic human-like interactions.
While the video quickly gained traction online, with users commenting on Erbai’s persuasive abilities, it also sparked discussions about the future potential of AI and robotics. One user humorously remarked, “I can’t even imagine what this robot will do when it grows up.” Another comment read, “China is very modern!”
The video, which gained considerable attention on X (formerly Twitter), led to playful remarks about Erbai’s leadership skills, with one user commenting, “Look at the robot, man. More convincing than most of our politicians. More of a leader.”
Despite the light-hearted nature of the video, it serves as a testament to the growing capabilities of artificial intelligence in robotics and its potential to interact in ways that were once thought to be purely human. As AI technology continues to advance, experiments like this highlight its potential to engage and influence in increasingly sophisticated ways.
While it may have started as an amusing showcase, Erbai’s antics have left viewers pondering the future of AI-powered machines and their role in our world, with many eagerly awaiting what the next generation of robots will bring.
Sources By Agencies
