Chefs can breathe a sigh of relief. While robots are increasingly replacing humans in factories and warehouses, the kitchen remains a domain where humans still hold the advantage. A viral video shows just how far from ready robots are to take over domestic cooking.
According to the Daily Mail, the clip features YouTuber Cody Detwiller, known online as WhistlinDiesel, handing his lunch over to a Unitree G1 humanoid robot. The $80,000 (£60,940) machine quickly proves it may not be the next culinary prodigy.
“The $80,000 bot promptly loses control of the pan, flings the food on the floor, and slips up in the mess,” the Daily Mail reported. After several clumsy movements, the robot collapses to the floor “in a crumpled heap,” leaving a kitchen covered in spilt food.
Unitree claims the robot can “simulate human hands to achieve precise operation of objects.” However, Mr Detwiller’s test suggests the robot’s dexterity is far from kitchen-ready.
The robot’s 35-kilogram (77 lbs) frame, standing 1.32 metres (4.33 ft) tall with 23 degrees of freedom in its joints, allows more mobility than an average human, but controlling a frying pan proved too complex without specific programming.
In the video, Mr Detwiller attaches the robot’s hand to a pan and instructs, “If you can cook the meal, I’m gonna go in here and play Fortnite, okay?” The experiment soon spirals into chaos as both man and machine slip and slide over spilled food.
The video, titled What Happens if you Abuse a Robot?, also shows the robot running into walls, doors, and windows, and even getting hit with a truck, highlighting its limited capabilities outside controlled conditions.
The online reaction has been overwhelmingly amused. One YouTube commenter wrote, “When he was slipping, I have never laughed so hard in my life, I thought I was gonna stop breathing.”
Another described it as “the most honest, comprehensive, and realistic demo of this robot available on YouTube.” Social media users called the robot slipping “peak comedy.”
Not everyone, however, was impressed. Some warned of potential dangers, joking that robots might turn against humans in the future. “Bro is getting killed by robots in 20 years,” one comment read. Another added, “This is why AI is gonna try to wipe out humanity in seven years.”
Despite its spectacular failure in the kitchen, the Unitree G1 remains technologically advanced. Equipped with a 3D LiDAR sensor and a depth-sensing camera, it can perceive its surroundings with high precision. Still, the Daily Mail notes, “Straight out of the box… the Unitree G1 is capable of little more than walking around and waving.”
This isn’t Unitree’s first brush with viral fame. Last year, its humanoid robots participated in the world’s first humanoid robot boxing tournament, often struggling to land kicks and punches. Clearly, while robotics technology is advancing, cooking—and perhaps boxing—remains a challenge for machines.
