A recent tech conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, saw the unveiling of the country’s first male humanoid robot, named Muhammad. However, the robot’s debut went viral online for an unintended reason. A short video clip surfaced showing Muhammad seemingly making inappropriate contact with a female reporter from the Al Arabiya television network.
The footage depicts the robot raising its right hand and appearing to touch the reporter’s lower back. In response, the visibly startled reporter turns and briefly raises her left hand in a defensive gesture. The incident ignited a social media firestorm, with many viewers condemning the robot’s behavior as harassment.
Saudi Robots were announced today🤖
— Tansu Yegen (@TansuYegen) March 5, 2024
pic.twitter.com/f6QHkxzqQO
Others, however, offered alternative explanations. Some suggested the robot might have been programmed with gestures that were misconstrued in this context. Videos were shared showing the robot raising its other hand in a similar fashion when standing alone. The possibility of a technical malfunction was also raised.
The robot programmed in this way, she stood at the wrong spot. pic.twitter.com/MzBD4ErIkP
— sain👾 (@M_Hussain6) March 6, 2024
The robot’s creators, artificial intelligence company QSS Systems, have not publicly commented on the incident. DeepFest, the tech conference organizers, described Muhammad as the first bilingual, male humanoid robot created in Saudi Arabia. According to QSS Systems, the robot is potentially designed for high-risk or precision-demanding tasks to increase workplace safety and efficiency.
Muhammad follows in the footsteps of Sara, Saudi Arabia’s first humanoid robot, who was also showcased at a tech conference the previous year.
Citation: Original Article: [X] – [Saudi Robots were announced today] (https://twitter.com/TansuYegen)
