The scene from a recent Japanese art exhibit featuring a chained robotic attack dog proved divisive, which was the intent.
The exhibit, aptly called “Dynamics of a Dog on a Chain,” was created by Takayuki Todo, who’s known for blending art and robotics to challenge human emotions and perceptions of artificial intelligence. Held at Toda Hall & Conference in Tokyo, the display featured two robotic dogs by the Chinese company Unitree. One stayed still, as the other lunged aggressively at visitors but couldn’t reach them because of its chain.
For many, it was a thought-provoking take on AI safety and human-machine relationships. It unsettled others who couldn’t help but feel sympathy for the chained quadruped. Others dismissed it as manipulative, questioning its depth and artistic value.
“That was eye opening,” Transhuman CEO Amanda Johnston said in a video posted to X after visiting the exhibit. “I felt empathy for a robodog that was tripping over itself and desperate to get unshackled.”
Seeing technology outside a lab and used for expression in art challenges our thinking. Experiencing “Dynamics of a Leashed Dog”by Takayuki Todo today in Tokyo provoked me, in ways I’ve not considered as a technologist.
— Amanda Johnstone (@amandaj0hnstone) February 18, 2025
How does this make you feel?#technology #robodog #robot pic.twitter.com/FWRpyrtldC
It’s a theme that’s explored in a slew of recent and upcoming movies as artificial intelligence continues to shape the cultural Zeitgeist.
Back in 2018, Todo introduced SEER, a robotic head he engineered to mimic human emotions and facial expressions. Short for Simulative Emotional Expression Robot, SEER is a humanoid robot skull with moving eyes, eyebrows, and other facial features.
A camera scans the face of a person standing in front of it. SEER’s AI analyzes their facial expressions to detect and mimic emotions. Its ability to maintain eye contact makes it seem even more alive.
Todo created SEER while studying media art and technology at the Institute of Advanced Media Art and Science. He designed, built, and programmed the robot as a solo project. SEER has tiny motors and sensors to control eye and facial movements.
It reacts to people’s emotions just like a real human might, which makes some feel emotionally connected with a machine. SEER gained significant attention debuting at conferences in 2018, and continued as a popular display for years after.
Todo ’s goal was to explore how people react to robots that reciprocate human-like emotions.
With the Dynamics of a Dog on a Chain exhibit, Todo continued the exploration but in a much more confrontational manner. Though the chained Unitree robot dog posed no real danger to visitors, the aesthetics were intended to create tension and un-ease.
The display applied active psychological pressure, making participants much more than casual observers. This extended globally, thanks to viral clips shared on social media.
By showing a robot being bullied or restricted, Todo’s exhibit raised ethical questions about AI, autonomy, and how people view non-living beings. The feelings the exhibit elicited depended on the person.
When robots move or act in ways resembling animals or humans, people can instinctively assign emotions to them. This is especially true in Japan. Shintoism, the country’s indigenous religion, views robots and other machines as beings that can possess a spirit. Robots are viewed more like companions than lifeless tools.
Japan is widely considered the most popular market for consumer robot dogs. Japanese consumer electronics giant Sony introduced the first major consumer robot dog, AIBO, in 1999 and the company has continued producing upgraded versions.
People feel bad for robots that appear oppressed yet also fear robots becoming too independent. While many are unbothered by robot abuse, others can’t help but feel empathetic. The divide is bound to cause friction as robots become increasingly integrated into daily life.
For example, popular Twitch streamer Kai Cenat recently elicited backlash for the way he and his friends treated the Unitree G1 humanoid robot he reportedly bought for $70K. While Cenat said they were testing the robot’s stability feature, just like Unitree does much more violently in its own marketing videos, some viewed the behavior as bullying.
The topic has been explored since ancient times and has become dominant today as people have a range of strong emotions about the emerging artificial general intelligence era.
The 2025 black comedy Companion, for example, stars Sophie Thatcher as Iris, an android purchased by a grieving man played by Jack Quaid. Initially programmed to provide emotional support and assistance, Iris develops self-awareness as her behavior becomes increasingly unsettling.
The 2024 Netflix movie Subservient stars Megan Fox as an AI-powered domestic assistant who gains sentience and becomes hostile.
The highly anticipated sequel to 2022’s M3GAN is expected to continue the horror franchise’s exploration of human robot relationship complexities and AI ethics. Set two years after the original film, Megan 2.0 stars Allison Williams as Gemma, a brilliant roboticist as she advocates for AI regulations while her niece Cady, played by Violet McGray, navigates her teenage years. In the second installment, a defense contractor repurposes Megan’s underlying technology for a military-grade robot named Amelia who becomes more dangerous the more self-aware she becomes.
The “Dynamics of a Dog on a Chain” art exhibit also taps into growing fears about the weaponization of bio-inspired robots.
Militaries and police forces are increasingly deploying AI-driven quadrupedal robots as technology advances rapidly. It’s becoming increasingly common to see state-of-the-art robot dogs in action, helping SWAT teams break down doors and toting rifles during military training.
Unitree Robotics, the maker of the quadrupeds featured in the art piece, is being particularly disruptive with its Go2. The robotic dog’s relatively affordable entry price of sixteen hundred dollars has made it a popular alternative to Boston Dynamics’ $75K quadruped Spot.