A humanoid robot appeared to retaliate after a customer pushed it at an electronics store in Russia, with CCTV footage of the unusual incident quickly going viral online.
The footage, reportedly recorded at a store in Saratov, shows a man approaching a humanoid robot named Syoma before pushing the machine. Moments later, the robot moves one of its legs towards the man in what appears to be an attempted kick.
Robot’s unexpected reaction surprises shoppers
The unusual response reportedly caught people nearby off guard. As the robot continued moving, the situation appeared increasingly chaotic before the machine was eventually powered down.
The incident has attracted widespread attention on social media, with viewers jokingly comparing the robot’s apparent reaction to scenes from The Terminator and suggesting that a fictional “Skynet era” could be approaching.
However, the footage does not establish that the robot was acting out of anger or independently deciding to attack the customer. Its movement could have resulted from its programming, a mechanical response or the impact of being pushed.
Viral clip sparks AI and robot debate
The video was later shared on X with a humorous caption describing Syoma as a “tech consultant” that had supposedly “lost control”. The post jokingly claimed the robot was undergoing an “emotional reboot” after the incident.
The customer was also humorously described as escaping with a fright and “possibly a new iPhone”.
While the incident has largely been treated as an amusing viral moment, it has also highlighted the unpredictable-looking behaviour that can occur when humans interact physically with robotic systems.
As humanoid robots become increasingly visible in commercial and public spaces, incidents such as this are likely to fuel discussions about safety, programming and how people should interact with machines designed to operate around humans.