Just when you thought technology had peaked at AI soulmates and robot dogs, scientists in China are now working on something that sounds straight out of Black Mirror: humanoid robots that can get pregnant… and give birth.
Yep. Robots with artificial wombs.
According to reports, the plan is to build a bot with a working womb in its abdomen. It would be hooked up to nutrients through a hose, carry a fetus for about 10 months, and then — if all goes well — deliver a human baby. The first prototype might even be unveiled next year.
How It’s Supposed to Work
The idea is to merge artificial womb tech (already surprisingly advanced) with humanoid robots. Think of it as outsourcing pregnancy — a couple struggling with infertility could, in theory, hire a robot surrogate for around 100,000 yuan (about $19,200 CAD).
That’s a lot less than the $80,000–$140,000 CAD price tag of hiring a human surrogate. But before you start budgeting for your robot baby shower, there are some pretty big unanswered questions:
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How exactly would fertilization and implantation work?
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What does a “robot birth” even look like?
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And most importantly: who gets to pick the baby’s name — the parents or the software update?
The Big Debate
While the tech is groundbreaking, it also cracks open a giant can of ethical worms. What does parenthood mean if your child was carried by a machine? Who regulates “bot wombs”? And what happens if one malfunctions mid-pregnancy?
Still, if this works, the future might look something like this: your kid comes home from recess saying, “This is my best friend, Bot-ty.”
