TL;DR: A viral video of Unitree’s G1 humanoid casually walking its Go2 robot dog on a leash is breaking the internet—and proving how cheap Chinese robotics have become.
Sometimes you see a video online and realize the future didn’t just arrive, it got completely normalized. A clip is currently blowing up on Reddit showing a 4.3-foot-tall Unitree G1 humanoid robot casually strolling down the street. But it’s not alone. It’s walking a Unitree Go2 robot dog on a literal leash.
No humans in the frame. No tethers. Just one bipedal machine taking its quadrupedal pet out for some fresh air.
The comment section predictably descended into existential dread. “We are so cooked” was the general consensus, alongside people pointing out the sheer absurdity of a robot dog having a robot owner. But the wildest part about this entire scene isn’t the sci-fi aesthetic. It’s the price tag.
That G1 humanoid? It costs around $16,000. The Go2 dog trot-walking beside it goes for just under $3,000. For less than the price of a used Honda Civic, you can own the entire setup. Unitree has essentially undercut the entire western robotics market, heavily positioning themselves against Boston Dynamics’ $75,000 Spot dog.
They aren’t just making viral videos either. Unitree expects to ship up to 20,000 humanoid robots this year alone. They’re popping up at tech summits, university events, and even China’s Spring Festival Gala. So if you see a robot walking a metal dog in your neighborhood soon, don’t panic. They’re just getting their steps in.