China is making yet another statement that they are the leaders in the AI and technology realms, with a viral video that has been circulating around the internet.

In the video, it showed a human-like robot, dressed in neon yellow police vests, patrolling the streets of Shenzhen, China. Yes you have heard it right. These are humanoid robots, and AI today is no longer limited to desk bound AI chatbot stage, and has taken the form of us human beings.

This robo-cops were deployed in late 2024 by the Chinese authorities to work alongside human officers. These robo-cops were designed to chat with penestrains, accept voice instructions, and even execute more personal gestures such as handshaking.

Code Name: PM01

Named PM01, each robot stands at 1.38 meters tall—about the size of a primary school child—and weighs 40 kg. These humanoids were developed by Shenzhen-based startup Engine AI, each unit costs approximately 88,000 yuan (S$16,000).

Beyond its striking resemblance to Iron Man, PM01 has impressed many with its advanced mobility. Touted as one of the most agile humanoid robots on the market, it moves fluidly, walks with ease, and can even perform a front flip.

The robots are equipped with sophisticated technology that enables them to measure distances, navigate their surroundings, and process voice commands. This allows them to assist human officers by following directions and supporting patrol duties.

These humanoids have attracted many curious onlookers who were excited to interact and take a closer look at these AI fiends. One onlooker posted a video of his interaction with the humanoid on his social media, and wrote

"Human police and humanoid robot police (Shenzhen ENGINEAI PM01)."

Another clip showed the outdoor training of the robots which added to the online looker's awe. The sophisticated functionality of these artificial intelligence-powered robots is making the world sit up and take notes of the promise of humanoid robots in mundane work.

Humanoid robots spark humourous online reactions

As the videos became popular, the responses online were one of humour complemented by expectation. One user compared these humanoid to the main protagonist from the movie Chappie, a movie surrounding the life of a robot police officer.

While others called this the end of an era. Others stole the tagline "Serve the public trust, protect the innocent, uphold the law," from the movie Robocop, depicting the convergence of popular culture allusions and AI in modern-day discourse.

Some internet commentators also humorously reference the situation to The Transformers movies, calling the humanoid robots President Optimus, suggesting that a robot law enforcement era could be coming upon us.

But among all the comments that has surfaced, there is one that has captured the most attention. And the commentator wrote "These are crazy times."

Robot in Tianjin that went rogue, sparking safety concerns

While some netizens are fascinated by this technological leap, others remain skeptical about the effectiveness of robot officers compared to their human counterparts. Concerns have also been raised about automation replacing human jobs, with some describing the prospect of a robot-policed future as “scary.”

Reports of AI robots malfunctioning and colliding with pedestrians have further fueled these fears. On February 9, during a high profiled public event in Tianjin, one robot developed a technical glitch.

The robot, which wore a colorful jacket, launched a surprise attack on the crowd and caused people to panic before the security could intervene. The incident was instantaneously recorded and posted online, and this further questioned whether such AI robots are safe to be used in public.

Despite the organisers' best efforts to soothe the public concern and labeling the accident a "robotic failure", the damage was already done. The organisers have also promised to undertake more stringent measures to avoid such hitches in the future.

Nevertheless, the accident ignited a new controversy concerning the reliability of AI technology when it comes to the provision of public safety. Individuals also started raising questions about the extent to which one could have faith in robots, especially where their malfunction would yield unforeseen threats.