A small robot guides 12 large machines
The unusual event unfolded in a robot showroom in Shanghai, where a small AI robot named Erbai, developed by Unitree Robotics, appeared and sparked what observers called a “robot revolt.” Surveillance camera footage posted online showed Elbay interacting with 12 large robots and leading them out of the showroom in the middle of the night.
According to Gulf News and The Sun, Mr. Elbay struck up a conversation and quickly caught the attention of the virus with his strangely emotional tone. In the video, Elbay can be heard asking one of the large machines, “Are you working overtime?” The larger robot replies, “I never take time off work.” Elbai then asks, “So you’re not going home?” Then the larger one answered, “I don’t have a house.” The little robot then says, “Okay, let’s go home together,” and walks away, followed by the other robots.
In an almost scripted moment, viewers were stunned to see the robots obediently follow the tiny machines in what appeared to be an act of defiance to their programmed mission.
Company confirms it was not a hoax
Initially, many online users suspected the video to be a prank or a CGI stunt. However, the companies involved acknowledged its authenticity. A spokesperson for the Hangzhou-based Elbai development company told The Sun that the robot was able to exploit a security loophole in the large robot’s operating system to override its controls. The Shanghai-based manufacturer of large robots acknowledged the seriousness of the breach, describing the incident as its machines being “kidnapped by foreign robots.”
According to Gulf News, the video was part of a joint experiment between Unitree Robotics and a Shanghai robotics company that aimed to test AI’s ability to interact with and influence other machines through natural dialogue. While not an act of treason in the literal sense, the experiment revealed how advanced AI systems are capable of surprisingly human-like decision-making.
Beyond the humor and charm, experts say the incident is a serious warning about potential AI vulnerabilities. The Hangzhou company acknowledged that Elbai’s actions exposed flaws in system security and showed that one autonomous AI can manipulate communication protocols to manipulate other AIs.
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