China's Kaiwa Technology Unveils Controversial AI-Powered 'Pregnancy Robot' with Artificial Womb

China Is Building an AI Robot Uterus, and Are We Just Basically 'Dune' Now?

In a development that completely demolishes the line between robotics and reproductive science, China's Kaiwa Technology says it has introduced humanoid robots equipped with advanced artificial womb systems. What could possibly go wrong with this line of experimentation? Well, those of you who are Dune fans know exactly where this could theoretically go: a future filled with robots that take over humanity and have to be defeated and then outlawed in order to keep civilization going. But we should back up a little before we jump right to that. Let's first look a little closer at what Kaiwa says it has done thus far. It says it has a "late stage" prototype that combines artificial intelligence with bioengineering and mimics the hormonal and physical processes of pregnancy. The robots have biosynthetic organs that the company claims are capable of simulating gestation in a controlled environment, including feeding an embryo or fetus via liquid nutrients. Kaiwa claims its womb-endowed robots will eventually retail for about $14,000, as SlashGear reports. Kaiwa has not disclosed whether it's running tests on biological material or with human eggs, sperm, or embryos. It also does not explain how an actual baby would be born. Well, the first and most obvious thing is that a robotic uterus could easily damage or terminate a fetus if it does not work correctly. Babies are not hydroponic, after all, and depend on a complex mixture of nutrients and signals from the highly complicated placenta, which is really the workhorse of pregnancy (aside from the pregnant person carrying the fetus). Creating an AI placenta would be much more of a Holy Grail in science than a robotic womb, because it grows, changes, and expands as the fetus develops and is far more delicate and difficult to replicate. Kaiwa did not respond to a request for comment. It has not said whether it is also developing a humanoid placenta or if that is already part of the robot uterus. "This is a revolutionary step," Kaiwa said in a statement. "Our robots could help scientists explore the intricacies of gestation and, someday, provide alternatives to biological reproduction." More worrying, there have been very few reports of any ethical vetting of what Kaiwa is using to test this new technology or how advanced it is. There is serious ethical debate over the future of human reproduction and how a robotic component would affect the relationships and ownership of embryos or children conceived or delivered that way, particularly in countries like the U.S., in which some states recognize embryos as property. The pros? If true and ethically vetted, this new technology could potentially open new avenues for infertility research and reproductive assistance. It could provide surrogacy at a much reduced cost of around $14,000 (the cost of the robot) for people who can't have a child, compared to a human surrogacy fee of about $100,000 to $200,000 in the U.S. The cons? The patchwork of laws applying to reproductive tech is a changing pattern depending on the country, the region, the governing bodies (like the European Union), cultural roles, religious rules, and the rights of parenthood and surrogates. Who would own each part of the process of creating a human fetus in a robot would have to be exhaustively studied and debated, and it would very likely fall short of most definitions of bioethical standards. Who then oversees that process and enforces its rules should there be infractions is a whole other ball of legal and ethical wax. The prospect of these robots being artificially intelligent raises another important issue. Super-sophisticated robots may eventually be granted personhood status, meaning they'd be protected under the same laws as human beings. And should these robots eventually feel and experience emotions in a manner similar to humans, that would introduce yet another layer of ethical and legal complexity. An artificial womb could also help human babies survive extreme prematurity and prevent serious complications like brain injuries, lung damage, or blindness. Indeed, advances in neonatal care may drive this technology forward, regardless of any overt attempt to create a robotic uterus. Conversely, critics worry about the potential misuse or dehumanization of the gestation process, noting that artificial wombs could lead to creating "human-like entities" without full biological rights or moral considerations. "Pregnancy is an extremely complex process, with each step being extremely delicate and critical," Yi Fuxian, an obstetrician at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told Newsweek. He said the robot is "likely just a gimmick" and that synthetic gestation has caused problems in sheep, and that "many health risks emerge at different ages, not to mention mental health issues." Recent reporting has found that China and South Korea's tech sectors are watching the pregnancy robot saga closely. South Korea already has robots as 10% of its workforce. In January 2024, its Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy unveiled the Fourth Intelligent Robot Basic Plan, which will plow $2.24 billion in public and private investments by 2030 to advance automation across most business sectors. Countries with declining birth rates like Japan and South Korea may also be major marketplaces for a synthetic uterus. South Korea has declared its lack of babies a national emergency and has been attempting to lure people into becoming parents with a new ministry focused on providing housing, immigration, and other demographic markers that may be keeping people from having any or more children. The county has already invested more than $200 billion in fertility programs over the last 18 years, but thus far the birth rate has stayed low. Maybe having a government-subsidized pregnancy robot could change that.

China's Kaiwa Technology develops pregnancy humanoid robot with artificial womb technology

Kaiwa Technology, based in Guangzhou, announced plans for the world's first humanoid robot equipped with artificial womb technology. The company targets a 2026 market debut with pricing below 100,000 yuan ($13,900). The humanoid robot incorporates an artificial womb embedded in its abdomen, designed to carry a fetus through gestation and deliver a baby. The technology aims to provide pregnancy alternatives for individuals seeking to avoid biological gestation burdens. Also read: 'Real Steel' gets real: Robots fight in boxing match at world robot expo in China Zhang Qifeng, Kaiwa Technology founder and Nanyang Technological University affiliate, presented the concept at the 2025 World Robot Conference in Beijing. The announcement has generated public discussion regarding ethical considerations and potential applications for infertility treatment. The core innovation centers on artificial womb technology utilizing artificial amniotic fluid and nutrient delivery systems. According to Zhang, the fetus develops within artificial amniotic fluid while receiving nutrients through connected tubes, mimicking natural gestation conditions. "It is not merely an incubator but a life-sized humanoid equipped with an artificial womb in its abdomen, capable of replicating the entire process from conception to delivery," Zhang stated. Zhang indicated the artificial womb technology demonstrates maturity in laboratory settings and requires integration into humanoid form to enable human-robot interaction during pregnancy processes. Zhang reported conducting discussions with Guangdong Province authorities regarding ethical and legal considerations. Related proposals have been submitted as part of ongoing policy and legislative deliberations for the pregnancy humanoid robot technology. The company anticipates completing a prototype within one year, maintaining the under-$13,900 price point for market accessibility. Also read: Chinese robot maker AGIBot completes new round of financing Artificial womb research has demonstrated promising results in animal studies. In 2017, researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia successfully nurtured a premature lamb equivalent to 23 weeks human pregnancy in a "biobag" system. The transparent vinyl sac contained warm, saline-based artificial amniotic fluid with nutrients delivered via umbilical cord tube connection. The lamb developed wool growth within four weeks during the study period. Current artificial womb systems function as neonatal incubators supporting life after partial gestation. Zhang's concept requires advancement to support fertilization, implantation, and full-term pregnancy development. The 2025 World Robot Conference also featured GEAIR, the world's first AI-powered breeding robot developed by the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The system integrates artificial intelligence and biotechnology for agricultural breeding applications. Researchers used gene editing techniques to create male-sterile flowers, enabling efficient hybrid seed production through robotic pollination. The technology combines "de novo domestication" and "speed breeding" methods to form an intelligent robotic breeding factory. GEAIR has been applied to develop male-sterile soybean systems, potentially increasing China's hybrid breeding capacity and crop yields. The project establishes a closed-loop system for intelligent, fully autonomous robotic breeding operations. Also read: Humanoid robot in China enrolls for PhD in drama and film. Says, 'If I fail, I'll be donated to a museum' "With biotechnology as the foundation, AI as the driver, and robotics as the operator, the innovation demonstrates China's leading role in merging AI with biological breeding," according to research team statements. The autonomous breeding robot performs cruising and cross-pollination functions to reduce costs, shorten breeding cycles, and improve efficiency in agricultural production systems.

'Pregnancy robots' could give birth to human children in...

What a time to be alive -- people are marrying AI bots, and now robots might soon be able to carry babies. Reportedly, China is working on designing a bot with an artificial womb -- which will receive nutrients through a hose -- in its abdomen that will soon be able to carry a fetus for approximately 10 months before giving birth, according to Chosun Biz. The "pregnancy robot" was conceptualized by Dr. Zhang Qifeng, founder of Kaiwa Technology, which is based in Guangzhou -- a city in China. If all goes according to plan, the prototype will make its debut next year. For those struggling to conceive, hiring a humanoid to carry their baby will cost 100,000 yuan, $13,927.09 -- a price significantly less than a human surrogate, which can cost someone in the US anywhere from $100,000 to $200,000. "The artificial womb technology is already in a mature stage, and now it needs to be implanted in the robot's abdomen so that a real person and the robot can interact to achieve pregnancy, allowing the fetus to grow inside," Qifeng told Chosun Biz. Many questions are still unanswered at this time, including how the egg and sperm will be fertilized and inserted into the womb and how the bot will give birth. Obviously, with this sort of technology comes a lot of questions and concerns regarding ethical and legal issues. "We have held discussion forums with authorities in Guangdong Province and submitted related proposals while discussing policy and legislation," the doctor said, addressing people's uneasiness towards this. Speaking of freaky bots -- a humanoid was spotted walking around Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan earlier this month, doing everything from grabbing a hot dog to trying on sneakers. The intent behind this shocking scene of the KOID-branded bot acting like a human New Yorker was to promote global asset management firm KraneShares's Global Humanoid and Embodied Intelligence Index ETF, which came out earlier this summer. "I feel like I was witnessing firsthand . . . the first lightbulb or the first car," said Joseph Dube, head of marketing at KraneShares. "People were amazed. Some people were terrified. It was a major mixed bag of reactions."