The footage shows a humanoid robot known as Edward Warchocki running after three wild boars in Warsaw, in a scene that quickly spread across social media.
The machine is a Unitree G1, a China-made robot designed for advanced movement and powered by artificial intelligence software.
The clip drew attention because wild boars are a familiar problem in Warsaw. City authorities have previously warned residents about growing numbers of encounters with the animals in housing estates, parks, gardens and other built-up areas.
In the video, the robot appears to drive the animals away, turning an urban nuisance into a surreal internet spectacle.
Online reaction has ranged from delight at the robot’s agility to doubts about whether such a stunt has any serious value.
Supporters have treated it as a glimpse of how robots could one day help people deal with practical problems in cities. Critics have argued that using an expensive humanoid machine in this way looks more like performance than policy.
Some have also raised concerns about animal stress and the risk of accidents caused by frightened animals.
Edward Warchocki was already well known online before the wild boar clip.
The robot has been presented as a kind of influencer and has appeared in several high-profile public settings in Poland.
In March, it visited the Sejm, the lower house of Poland’s parliament, after an invitation from lawmakers from the far-right Confederation party.
It has also appeared on broadcaster Polsat’s Dancing with the Stars show and in a Warsaw half-marathon.
That mix of publicity, entertainment, and technology is part of what has made the latest video travel so widely. It is funny on its face, but it also points to a more serious question.
Humanoid robots are often promoted as tools that could one day assist people in care work, routine labor, and other everyday tasks. For now, though, Edward Warchocki seems to belong more to pop culture than to city management.
(rt/gs)
Source: pl.euronews.com