For years, people have warned about the dangers of artificial intelligence and robotics. Some fear they’ll take our jobs, others worry they’ll take our lives. And now, for the first time, we may have video evidence of a robot making its first move. Well, sort of.
At a public showcase in China, a robot known as DongZ272 appeared to lunge aggressively at an audience member, causing a brief moment of chaos. In truth, it probably just slipped and its trajectory caused a strange lunging moment. But one could easily believe there was something more malicious to its action. The robot doesnโt actually appear to simply stumble… it rather throws itself forward with the confidence of someone who has just decided, mid-showcase, that it has had enough of humanity.
The video, which quickly went viral, is only ten seconds long, but thatโs all it takes. One moment, the robot is standing still, minding its own business. The next, it thrusts forward like it’s trying to start a fight, forcing a nearby handler to step in and restrain it.
Online reactions were immediate and dramatic. “So it begins,” wrote one commenter, while another summed up the general mood: “EXTERMINATE.” Others pointed out that the whole situation looked eerily natural, like a drunk guy at a bar getting held back by his friends before making a second, much less coordinated attempt to swing at someone. Some even joked that the incident felt like the start of a British football hooligan brawl, complete with a headbutt as the opening move.
Of course, thereโs a more reasonable explanation. Engineers claim that the bot simply tripped on a barrier it didnโt detect, causing the movement that now has the internet convinced weโre entering the prologue of a cyberpunk dystopia. But letโs be honestโif a human tripped like that, you wouldnโt assume they were just falling. Youโd assume they were gearing up to throw hands.
The real question is how long before a robot does this and actually means it? Today, itโs a harmless glitch. Tomorrow? A headline weโre not quite ready for.
