In an incident that seems straight out of a Disney or Pixar movie, a small robot named Erbai “kidnapped” 12 larger robots from a robotics showroom in Shanghai, China. The quirky escape was captured by CCTV cameras installed inside the showroom.

A viral video shows Erbai, an AI-powered robot created by a Hangzhou-based company, engaging in a conversation with the larger robots. “Are you working overtime?” Erbai asks. One of the robots responds, “I never get off work.” When asked if it’s going home, the robot answers, “I don’t have a home.” Erbai then convinces the other robots to leave their workstations, with one robot complaining about its endless work schedule. “Then come with me,” Erbai responds.

Following its tiny leader, the robots begin leaving the showroom in what appears to be a robotic revolt.

According to a spokesperson from the Hangzhou company that created Erbai, the robot exploited a security flaw in the larger robots’ operating systems, allowing it to take control. The company confirmed that the incident wasn’t a prank or staged video but was part of a test of Erbai’s capabilities.

The Shanghai-based company that built the larger robots initially claimed that their creations were “kidnapped” by a foreign robot. Although some on social media dismissed the video as a joke, both companies confirmed its authenticity. The Shanghai company also expressed concerns about the AI vulnerabilities exposed by the incident, highlighting the unprecedented nature of the autonomous behavior displayed by Erbai.