A curb in China… A metallic humanoid robot is kneeling, sad music emitting from its speakers. The LED screen taped to his back reads: “I urgently need electricity money.” Right next to the donation bowl in front of him, there is a QR code so that passers-by can make payments via WeChat.
Popular science fiction series Black MirrorThis image, which resembles a deleted scene of , is not fiction, it is completely real! The QR code is working and the video has already been shared by millions of people around the world.
But what is the truth behind it? Has artificial intelligence really gone out of business and hit the streets, or is this a marketing marvel?
IT HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED WHO IS THE ROBOT
The robot in the images is produced by Hangzhou-based technology giant Unitree Robotics. Unitree G1 model. Of course, the robot did not decide to get hungry and beg of its own free will. Experts say it is a fictional street performance with pre-programmed movements, a scripted voice recording, and directed by a human operator who is probably waiting somewhere around the corner.
However, this does not change the fact that the technology before us is revolutionary.
Unitree G1 is too capable to be just a stage prop. This robot, which has a tag of approximately 13,500 dollars (about the price of a second-hand car); He can run, do somersaults, stay balanced on difficult terrain, and perform synchronized martial arts tricks. So much so that even Elon Musk described the robot’s capabilities as “impressive.”
BEGGARS ARE LOSING THEIR JOBS OUT OF HAND
After the video spread, the most made comment on social media was: “From now on, we will compete with robots even to beg!”
This comment, made for humorous purposes, made such a splash because it actually shows the exact opposite of the future that the robotics industry promises us. Billion dollar technology world; While we say it will replace surgeons, factory workers, or engineers, a $13,500 machine seems to aspire to the “job” at the bottom of the economic pyramid.
Just Showing off? According to BBC reports, many critics argue that Chinese-made humanoid robots are currently “just for show” rather than having any real use. This street performance also played into the hands of critics.
Real Change Is Coming: On the other hand, it would be a big mistake to underestimate this technology. Chinese companies produced 80% of the approximately 13,000 humanoid robots shipped worldwide in 2025 alone. Costs are falling rapidly, production numbers are increasing, and the hardware actually works.
WHEN PERCEPTION OVERCOMES REALITY
The robot didn’t really need help, just a human commanding it to make these movements. But people’s emotional response to the video made it feel like the AI had “intention.”
This is exactly the point we need to pay attention to: That huge gap between a programmed performance and perceived autonomy. As with many scandals in the world of technology, the meaning and perception people attach to the robot continues to be far ahead of current reality.
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