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A dancing robot went wild at a California hot pot restaurant, smashing dishes and sending chopsticks flying instead of doing the robot.

5 articles | Updated 7h ago | Created 10h ago

A dancing entertainment bot designed for diners went rogue earlier this month after smashing into a customer's dining room during its performance at an Haidilao Hot Pot restaurant located near the Apple Park campus on Wednesday, March 19 in Cupertino and nearby San Jose.

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    A dancing entertainment robot operated by a California hot pot restaurant smashed into tables during its performance earlier this month.
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    The video footage shows the Haidilao location's robotic performer approaching patrons, pounding on their table with excessive force and knocking over utensils. Food was also scattered across customers' dining areas as part of what appeared to be an uncontrolled movement rather than a choreographed dance routine.
Mar 19 "A dancing robot designed to entertain diners got a little too close for comfort during performance earlier this month at Haidilao Hot Pot restaurant.

When we think about existential threats from new technology like AI being used militarily or nuclear weapons.

— (Techcrunch)

A dancing robot designed to entertain diners at the Haidilao Hot Pot restaurant in Cupertino, California got a little too close for comfort during its performance earlier this month and smashed into tables with patrons nearby

— (Wfla)
A dancing robot in a Haidilao hot pot restaurant boogied down a little too hard.

A video posted on Xiaohongshu shows an AgiBot X2 dancing at a Haidilao hot pot restaurant that smashed plates and nearly spilled boiling broth after three staff members struggled to restrain it, though the company denied any malfunction. The incident highlights immediate physical dangers posed by autonomous robots in public spaces rather than distant existential threats like AI-controlled nuclear weapons or military applications discussed elsewhere.

Video shows dancing robot at hot pot restaurant smashing into table
Video shows dancing robot at California hot pot restaurant smashing into table
A dancing robot went wild at a California hot pot restaurant, smashing dishes and sending chopsticks flying instead of doing the robot.

A Haidilao dancing robot in California smashed dishes, knocked over food, required three servers to restrain with straps while performing preprogrammed moves at the request of guests due to limited space near tables. The restaurant chain stated it was not malfunctioning but affected by its closer-than-usual operating setting during a performance intended for customer entertainment and service assistance.

Dancing robot busts a move, and dishes, after going rogue at California hotpot restaurant

A Haidilao dancing robot in California smashed dishes, knocked over food, required three servers to restrain with straps while performing pre-programmed moves that were triggered by being placed closer than usual near dining tables. The restaurant confirmed the incident was due to limited space affecting its programmed performance rather than a malfunction or loss of control.