CHINA / SOCIETY
Arguing robot ‘couple’ in China become internet sensation
Published: Jan 02, 2021 11:21 AM


Everyone has a tiff or two with friends, co-workers and family members, but library goers in Nanchang, East China's Jiangxi Province got a surprise when a person inadvertently started an argument between two robots. 

The two robots, named Tutu and Wangbao, are supposed to offer assistance to visitors in the hall of the Jiangxi Provincial Library. When a library goer scanned Tutu's QR code, Wangbao seemingly became annoyed to the great amusement of the library goer who posted a video of the exchange that occurred on December 30 and has gone viral on social media.

"Tutu, let's stop fighting, OK?" said Wangbao.

"Your mood sure swings a lot!" Tutu said. 

Wangbao raved, "Aren't you a drama queen, I'm giving you an out. Stop being petulant!"

The library patron was even more amused, as the two robots grew noisier and angrier with each other, and finally, abruptly swiveling away from each other like petulant children.

"It looks like how you quarrel with your girlfriend, ha-ha." one netizen posted.  

"I see myself from the quarrel," wrote another on Sina Weibo, which was echoed by many others. 

"It's annoying to hear people arguing, I didn't expect I'd have o to listen to robots arguing," another netizen wrote. 

The online video was widely circulating on Sina Weibo, with some 500,000 views as of press time on Saturday. Tutu and Wangbao became internet sensation, even attracting attention from major news outlets in the country.

When the two online celebrities were interviewed by reporters on Friday, the two seems already forgave each other after three days. 

"It was a thing last year… Isn't it normal to have quarrels between friends?" Wangbao said in video posted by the Xinhua News Agency on Saturday.

Asked whether she knows that she is now an online celebrity, Wangbao said that she had heard of it but unfortunately, children hadn't become more polite toward her.

According to Zhong Xiaotong, an employee from the library, the two robots are assigned to help guide readers in the library. But they can also sing and dance to amuse readers. They can learn and evolve while they interact with readers, Zhong said.

Global Times