The internet has a new comedy star, and it’s not human. Unitree Robotics’ humanoid G1 became the center of online amusement after a viral clip showed the robot in a French maid outfit trying, and failing, to cook dinner. The 22-second video, posted by an X user named bishara on October 31, has already racked up more than 1.8 million views and triggered a flood of memes about what happens when artificial intelligence meets frying pans.
In the clip, the G1 wrestles a hot pan off the stove before tossing food across the room in a spectacular culinary disaster. As the robot attempts to recover, it slips on the mess it just made, flails helplessly, and collapses on the floor in a moment that could rival any physical comedy routine.
The video comes from YouTuber Cody Detwiler, better known as WhistlinDiesel, who posted the full video titled “What Happens If You Abuse A Robot?” on his channel. In it, Detwiler assigns basic chores to the G1, including cooking, before walking away to “play Fortnite.” What follows is part sci-fi, part slapstick.
A second clip shared by the same user shows the G1 smashing through a glass door and stumbling into camera equipment. The internet was quick to respond, with one viewer writing, “It’s all fun and games until the robot learns how to cook us instead.”
Despite the chaos, the Unitree G1 is a legitimate piece of technology. Standing 1.32 meters tall and weighing 35 kilograms, it has 23 degrees of freedom, allowing it to move with surprising agility. It comes equipped with 3D LiDAR sensors, a RealSense depth camera, a noise-canceling microphone array, and stereo speakers for voice interaction.
While the G1 is designed primarily for research and industrial use, Unitree has also been exploring how to adapt it for home tasks. But as the viral clip shows, precise movements like cooking are still far beyond its capabilities.
Earlier this year, Chinese influencer Zhang Genyuan also went viral after attempting to make the G1 cook breakfast on livestream. The robot cracked eggs poorly, spilled milk, and managed to turn the kitchen into a disaster zone.
Incidents like these highlight a broader truth about humanoid robots: they may be getting more agile, but dexterity and coordination remain major hurdles. Competitors such as Tesla’s Optimus and Figure 03 are showing more promise in handling real-world tasks like folding laundry or plating food without turning it into modern art.
For now, the Unitree G1 is better at making people laugh than making lunch. And honestly, given how entertaining its kitchen meltdown turned out to be, the internet doesn’t seem to mind.