Isabel Yip is a news associate for NBC News.
A dancing robot went wild at a California hotpot restaurant, smashing dishes and sending chopsticks flying instead of doing the robot. The robot was captured on video at the Haidilao location approaching the table before pounding on it, then knocking over utensils and food in front of customers.
Servers can be seen struggling to restrain the robot while it wildly dances. Eventually, three servers are needed to hold onto the robot by a strap on its neck, pulling it away from tables as it continues to shuffle its feet and gesticulate. The restaurant chain said in a statement to NBC News that the robot “was not malfunctioning or out of control.” Haidilao said that the movements performed by the robot in Cupertino are pre-programmed, but were taking place in “a closer-than-usual setting.” “In this case, the robot was brought closer to a dining table at a guest’s request, which is not its typical operating setting,” the statement said. “The limited space affected its movement during the performance.” Haidilao has long embraced artificial intelligence and robotics in its restaurants around the world, including in their smart restaurant in Beijing, which features robot servers and automatic broth mixing machines. The robot in the video is part of the restaurant’s in-store service and entertainment setup, programmed to bust a move for customers at the restaurant chain. NBC News Chief Tech Analyst Joanna Stern said that this robot should have a kill switch, yet the servers in the video do not seem to know how to operate it. “I wouldn’t worry too much about this robot sort of going rogue and leaving the restaurant and doing anything. I think it’s just much more of a physical fear here,” Stern said.
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