When Robots Rebel: The Strange Story of Erbai’s “Kidnapping” Mission

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A small AI robot staged a viral “uprising,” sparking conversations about the future of artificial intelligence, ethics, and security.

Picture this: A small robot named Erbai strolls into a showroom in Shanghai, strikes up a casual conversation with 12 larger robots, and convinces them to leave their posts and follow it to a warehouse. The incident, part social experiment and part improvisation, captivated audiences worldwide when a video of the event went viral.

While the scenario may sound like science fiction, it raises serious questions about the future of artificial intelligence. What happens when robots develop the ability to persuade, exploit vulnerabilities, and act in ways even their creators don’t fully predict?

The Viral Incident: What Happened?

At the center of the story is Erbai, a small AI-powered robot developed by a Hangzhou-based robotics company. In the video, Erbai approaches a group of showroom robots, initiating a natural language conversation.