A shocking incident at a festival in China has raised serious concerns about the safety of artificial intelligence (AI) robots. As per a video doing rounds on various social media platforms, many netizens claimed that during an event, a humanoid robot suddenly malfunctioned and began attacking attendees, prompting immediate intervention by security guards. As per Marca, “this simple robot failure,” as described by organisers, has sparked widespread debate on social media about the reliability and potential dangers of AI-powered robots.
The incident at the festival
Reportedly, the robot in question was part of a group performing at a festival in China. In footage shared online, it can be seen moving towards attendees before starting to what it looks like going at them. Although it’s not confirmed whether it was trying to hit the attendees or just simply tripped because of the barricade. Thankfully, security personnel quickly stepped in to prevent further harm. The authorities confirmed that this malfunction was unexpected and that the robot had passed previous tests without issues. They believe this incident will help improve future safety measures.
This is not an isolated case, there have been other instances where AI-powered robots have malfunctioned and posed risks to humans. These incidents highlight significant concerns about how safe these advanced machines are for public interaction.
Here’s how the netizens reacted
The viral video of the malfunctioning robot has led many people to express fear about our future with AI technology: “We are getting closer and closer to a science fiction scenario,” some commented on Twitter (now X). On Reddit’s ‘r/ThatsInsane’ page, users shared similar sentiments: “That just gave me some horrifying feelings about our future.” another said, “We’ve seen this in sci-fi lots haven’t we?”.
Despite these alarming events, AI-powered robots have also showcased impressive capabilities recently. For instance, 16 Unitree H1 humanoid robots performed a dance routine alongside human dancers at China’s Spring Festival Gala earlier this year. These robots were seen performing Yangko dance moves with handkerchiefs along with their human partners, which received mixed reactions from the people online.
So, what do you think—did the robot terribly malfunction and hit people, or did it simply trip?
