Watch: Tiny robot ‘kidnaps’ a dozen larger robots in Shanghai

A tiny robot has gone viral on social media after allegedly “kidnapping” 12 larger robots from a robotics showroom in Shanghai.

Surveillance footage from August shows the pint-sized, AI-powered Erbai engaging the showroom robots in a surprisingly human-like conversation. “Are you working overtime?” it asks, to which a larger robot responds, “I never get off work.” Erbai then persuades them to “come home,” leading all 12 out of the showroom.

Initially dismissed as staged, the manufacturers of both Erbai and the larger robots reportedly confirmed the video’s authenticity, revealing that it was part of a controlled experiment to test AI’s ability to mimic human interaction. While the scenario was pre-approved, the outcome — Erbai autonomously accessing the robots’ operating protocols and convincing them to follow — was a complete surprise.

While some viewers called the event a harmless display of AI innovation, others expressed concerns over potential security implications and even robot domination. “I just want to mention that I have never treated bad any robot or device, in case you guys take over,” one X user noted.