A shocking incident at a festival in China has triggered a social media frenzy. A humanoid robot equipped with artificial intelligence unexpectedly went rogue, surprising spectators. As it moved through a crowd of people, the AI-powered machine approached a woman and appeared to strike—or attempt to strike—her.
The situation immediately escalated as security guards rushed to hold and remove the malfunctioning robot from the area. According to the reports, this strange behavior may have been caused by a programming fault. However, the main cause remains unknown. Was this an accident caused by a faulty movement, or did the AI breach basic safety regulations, like the classic rule that robots must not injure humans?
While some people view the incident as a technological malfunction, many believe it is a warning indication of AI developing unpredictable and dangerous tendencies. The concept of robots acting aggressively toward humans has long been a topic of horror in sci-fi, but real-world events are emerging. A few years ago, there were rumors about an AI-controlled drone allegedly deciding to eliminate its operator because he was interfering with its objective.
This latest case in China raises concerns about AI safety and the potential consequences of more autonomous systems. As AI-powered robots become more interconnected with our daily lives, guaranteeing their dependability and compliance with human safety requirements becomes critical.
This event also fuels the debate about accountability. If an AI system malfunctions and harms a person, who is responsible—the developers, the manufacturers, or the AI itself? As the frequency of such instances increases, debates over AI ethics and control methods will become more urgent.
For now, the faulty robot that went rogue has been shut down, but the questions about the future of AI remain wide open.