Influencer rents robot for date and housework

A Chinese influencer named Zhang Genyuan has gained attention online after renting a humanoid robot for a day. He spent $1,400 to have the robot do housework and join him on a date. Zhang became popular after appearing on a dating reality show in 2022, and now has over 1.4 million followers on a social media platform called Rednote. In a video posted on March 13, 2025, Zhang shared his experience with the rented robot, the Unitree G1. This advanced robot typically sells for $14,000 if bought outright. Zhang was lucky; many people rent the robot, making it easier for him to enjoy the experience at a lower cost. In the video, Zhang showed viewers how the robot interacted with him. It greeted him by name and listed its abilities, even complimenting his social media work. “It has not even started serving me yet, and it is already flattering me!” Zhang said with laughter. The robot cooked breakfast, although it spilled some milk. It cleaned up after itself and also mopped the floor. Later, Zhang took the robot for a walk and asked it to dance. The robot had a little trouble dancing but quickly apologized. Zhang joked that he didn't need a girlfriend for emotional support anymore because the robot made him feel less lonely. This event comes shortly after another influencer made headlines for spending $140,000 to become an "android."