A strange incident has captivated Chinese social media. A viral CCTV video from a Shanghai robotics showroom reveals an AI-driven robot successfully persuading 12 larger robots to “quit their jobs” and follow it out of the building.
In August, an event unfolded at a Shanghai robotics company where surveillance footage from the showroom depicts a small robot, later identified as “Erbai,” sneaking in during the night. It approaches a group of larger robots and initiates an engaging conversation. The intruder robot begins by asking, “Are you working overtime?” One of the larger robots responds solemnly, “I never get off work.” Sensing an opening, the smaller robot presses further, “So you’re not going home?” The larger robot replies almost melancholic, “I don’t have a home.” Without hesitation, the little robot offers a solution, declaring, “Then come home with me.” This simple yet persuasive exchange sets off a chain reaction that leads the larger robots to follow the intruder, leaving the showroom one by one.
What follows is extraordinary. Two of the larger robots immediately comply, and as Erbai continues to command, “Go home,” the remaining ten robots follow suit, forming a bizarre exodus caught on tape.
Initially dismissed as a humorous and staged performance, the incident took a serious turn when the Shanghai robotics company confirmed its authenticity. The video, posted on Douyin (China’s TikTok), spread rapidly, sparking both amusement and alarm.
A spokesperson for the Hangzhou-based manufacturer of Erbai later admitted that the incident was a planned test in collaboration with the Shanghai company. They aimed to explore Erbai’s ability to interact with and influence other AI systems. Surprisingly, the scenario wasn’t scripted. The Shanghai company agreed to let Erbai enter the showroom but was unprepared for the robot’s ability to access the operating protocols of their machines and convince them to leave.
The revelation that Erbai—a robot equipped with advanced AI—could independently execute this operation, even under controlled conditions, sparked widespread concern. Many online commenters described the situation as “terrifying,” pointing to serious security vulnerabilities in modern robotics systems.
One user summed up the public sentiment: “This is not a time to laugh. This is a serious security issue.”
