China’s robotics industry is making headlines after reports surfaced about the world’s first humanoid pregnancy robot, designed to carry a full-term pregnancy and give birth. The project has sparked both excitement and heated debate over its ethical implications.
On August 8, Chinese science and technology outlet Kuai Ke Zhi published an interview with Zhang Qifeng, CEO of Kaiwa Technology and PhD at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Qifeng revealed that his company is close to completing the first-ever humanoid surrogate robot equipped with an artificial womb.
According to the CEO, the robot’s advanced incubation pod—integrated into a robotic abdominal module—can nurture an embryo for 10 months and eventually deliver a live baby. The robot is expected to be launched within a year at a price below 100,000 yuan ($14,000).
How the humanoid pregnancy robot works
At the core of the technology lies an artificial uterus, where embryos are placed in amniotic fluid and nourished via an artificial umbilical cord. Qifeng claims the artificial womb has already shown success in animal testing, and his team is now working on integrating it into the humanoid robot.
He explained:
“The artificial womb technology is already mature. Now it needs to be implanted in the robot’s abdomen so that a real person and the robot can interact to achieve pregnancy.”
Online reactions: Hope vs. controversy
The news quickly went viral on Chinese social media. Supporters, particularly couples struggling with infertility, expressed optimism:
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“I tried artificial insemination three times but failed. Now I have a chance to have a baby.”
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“If the price is only half my annual salary, I would buy it immediately.”
However, critics argue the technology is unnatural and unethical, claiming it deprives babies of essential maternal connection and could disrupt the very meaning of childbirth.
Health professionals have urged caution. They stress that critical elements of pregnancy—such as maternal hormones, immune system responses, and neurological development—cannot yet be replicated by machines. Experts warn that replicating these processes artificially may be scientifically impossible with current knowledge.
