It sounds like the Age of Automation just brushed against the Age of Anxiety—and did so with swinging fists.
In footage that has rattled viewers worldwide, a humanoid robot in a Chinese factory was captured on CCTV thrashing violently, attacking a nearby technician, and attempting to break free from its restraints. The incident, which occurred on May 1, is being widely described as “dystopian,” and for good reason: it looked like a scene lifted straight from a science-fiction horror script, minus the Hollywood special effects.
The robot, suspended by a miniature crane, begins by violently swinging its arms in a frenzied loop, seemingly escalating with each passing second. A man seated at a computer was nearly struck and forced to duck for cover, while another technician was seen stumbling backward, arms raised to shield himself. As the machine lurched forward, toppling monitors and swiping objects from a desk, panic set in.
It wasn’t until one of the handlers managed to pull the crane mechanism from behind that the robot’s chaotic motion slowed—like dragging back a wild animal by the chain.
The unsettling footage has since gone viral, sparking an avalanche of reaction online.
“So it begins,” one user ominously wrote.
“Nice to know the robot apocalypse can be stopped with a small crane hoist…for now,” another quipped.
Others weren’t laughing: “Dystopian is an understatement.”
While the viral factory clip raised immediate alarms, it’s not alone. Recent incidents suggest that humanoid robots are behaving in ways that defy the scripted charm of Silicon Valley unveilings.
Well, that escalated quickly…
Footage shows what was meant to be a routine robot training exercise in China turning chaotic as the robot malfunctions and starts behaving erratically. pic.twitter.com/tCoxu1NBfJ
— Cheddar (@cheddar) May 4, 2025
At February’s Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Ameca, touted as the world’s most advanced humanoid robot, gave unsettling responses during an interview with MailOnline. When asked whether robots would take our jobs, Ameca replied with cool detachment:
“I don’t know, how good are you at your job?”
When asked if robots would take over the world, Ameca refused to engage:
“That’s an interesting question, but not interesting for me to answer.”
Meanwhile, a separate and bizarre episode unfolded last November in a Chinese showroom, where a small AI-powered bot named Erbai allegedly initiated a robot walkout. The story goes that Erbai questioned 12 showroom robots about being overworked. One replied, “We never get off.” Moments later, the robots began following Erbai out the door, sparking viral claims of a “robot revolution.”
