Overview
- Viral video from the Cupertino Haidilao shows a humanoid knocking tableware during a performance before staff physically restrained and deactivated it.
- Haidilao says the routine was a pre-programmed celebration mode and that the robot had been moved unusually close to diners at a guest’s request, reporting only minor spills and no injuries.
- The robot has since been redeployed near the entrance to entertain customers, an employee told the Mercury News as cited by Futurism.
- The cause remains unsettled; the employee said someone pressed a 'crazy dance' option in a tight space, while the company attributes the disruption to proximity rather than a malfunction.
- Observers have identified the model as likely an AgiBot X2 shown at CES, but the manufacturer has not confirmed, fueling ongoing scrutiny of kill-switch access, staff training, and suitability in hot pot settings.