'Is she really a robot?': China restaurant owner stuns customers with robotic moves, becomes online sensation

A hotpot eatery entrepreneur in China has taken things to the next level amid debates and discussions over AI or artificial intelligence's ability to replace human jobs.

The restaurant owner in Chongqing municipality in southwestern China has gone viral for her innovative impersonation of a robot waitress. She has become an online sensation for her unique performance, where she acts like a robot to serve customers.

In one of the videos, she serves a dish to a table set with a spicy hotpot soup base, duck intestines, ham and vegetables. Many viewers are confused and think that she is a real robot because of her mechanical waving to greet guests at the entrance, and the way she servesdishes, pourstea, and makestoasts in a robotic style. People are stunned by her ability to keep her eyes still as she does these activities.

Some sharp viewers noticed subtle details, distinguishing her from a real robot, like blackheads and slight movement of nostrils.

The restaurant owner is a 26-year-old, surnamed Qin, Jiupai News reported. She has been passionate about dance since childhood and underwent professional training when she was 12.

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According to her, the rhythmic and mechanical movements resemble the beats of street dance, making the task easier for her. Qin said, "Eye expressions are definitely acted, but the moves rely on muscle control. When customers or friends come to the restaurant, we dance together. By chance, they thought my impersonation was very realistic and recorded a video of me, which was then uploaded online. It's about having fun using my talents and adding a unique feature to the restaurant."

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While many visitors were delighted by her performance, several people have expressed the desire to experience the service live. "I was fooled at first, thinking it was a real robot," said one person.

Another added, "I laughed so hard at this video! I'll go to this hotpot restaurant just to see the business owner." The videos reposted on Facebook have garnered around 50,000 likes and international attention. A viewer commented, "I love creativity!" Another added, "It's unbelievable. She didn't even blink. That is almost impossible to do."

(With inputs from agencies)