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Hitchhiking robot ends up arrested at political rally

Fight the power.

 

April Siese

Internet Culture

Posted on Sep 16, 2016   Updated on May 25, 2021, 11:53 pm CDT

Your favorite robot escapee just might be problematic (and possibly fake). Promobot, the artificial intelligence machine best known for hitchhiking away from its lab has hit the road once more. And this time it’s gone to a political rally.

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The customer relations robot made its way from its lab in Perm to Moscow in order to collect data during a rally for Russian Parliament candidate Valery Kalachev. It doesn’t appear to have made the nearly 900 mile journey via escape, however. In fact, it may have been working for Kalachev.

Promobot was just trying to do its job when a perturbed rally participant called the police, who promptly showed up and handcuffed it. “According to eyewitnesses, the robot did not put up any resistance,” a company spokesperson told SitiBe.

It’s unclear if Promobot has been hauled into some type of robot jail or if it will face further consequences. It’s undoubtedly plotting its latest escape, though. Stay vigilant, Russia.

H/T SitiBe

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*First Published: Sep 16, 2016, 8:49 pm CDT