Artificial Womb Technology Sparks Debate in China
China is edging closer to unveiling the world’s first humanoid robot capable of carrying a pregnancy, a development that has stirred equal parts fascination and controversy.
Chinese outlet Kuai Ke Zhi reported that Kaiwa Technology, led by Zhang Qifeng, a PhD graduate from Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, is preparing to launch the humanoid pregnancy robot within a year.
The machine, which will cost less than 100,000 yuan ($14,000), is designed with an artificial womb placed inside a robotic abdomen.
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According to the company, the technology allows embryos to develop in a specially designed fluid-filled pod connected to an artificial umbilical cord. The system has already been tested successfully on animals, with plans to extend it to human embryos in the near future.
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The news sparked intense debate on Chinese social media. Supporters, including those struggling with infertility, described the project as a potential lifeline, making childbirth possible without traditional biological processes.
Others, however, questioned whether a machine could replicate the essential bond between a mother and child. Medical professionals have also raised red flags.
They caution that while artificial womb technology shows promise, critical biological functions such as hormonal responses, immune adaptation, and psychological effects of pregnancy remain impossible to mimic with current science.
