Will AI harm humans? While we might have to wait a bit longer for an answer to this question, for now humanoids are indeed getting “arrested” for disrupting the peace of humans. In what seems to be one of the first cases of a robot getting into serious trouble, a humanoid robot in Macau was taken away by police after it unintentionally scared an elderly woman. The robot apparently shocked and startled the woman so much that he had to visit hospital.
The clip of the woman screaming at the robot, and Macau cops taking the humanoid away, became viral on internet a few days ago.
The incident reportedly happened earlier this month when the woman, who seemed to be in her 70s, was walking through a narrow street while looking at her phone, according to the Macau Post. Local police said she suddenly noticed a humanoid robot standing right behind her. The robot, which was being used for promotional activity, had stopped on the walkway and was waiting for space to pass. The woman, however, was not ready for this surprise encounter from the “weird” looking machine.
Police later said the woman “was startled when she suddenly noticed a robot behind her while using her mobile phone,” and the shock of it made her feel unwell. She was taken to hospital as a precaution, but doctors confirmed she had no physical injuries and was discharged the same day.
Many onlookers recorded the entire scene on video. In the clips circulating over social media, the robot can be seen standing near the elderly woman while she angrily speaks to it. Later, the robot is taken away by police officials.
The visuals led many people on the internet to joke that the humanoid had been detained for disturbing the peace. Some posts even called it the “first humanoid robot arrested by police.”
According to reports, authorities later clarified that the robot was not seized and definitely not charged with any crime. Officers said they were simply making sure the situation stayed calm and safe, and reminded the robot operator to be more careful while using the machines in public places.
The robot was reportedly being controlled by a man in his 50s, who told police he was testing it for promotional purposes on behalf of a local education centre. The centre’s head also accompanied the woman to the hospital and later dropped her home, saying similar demonstrations had never caused trouble before.
The robot involved is believed to be similar to models made by Chinese robotics company Unitree, part of China’s push to bring humanoid robots into everyday life. While these machines are designed to impress, this incident suggests humans may not be fully ready to share evening walks with robots just yet.
