According to experts, this futuristic machine is designed with an artificial womb that takes in nutrients through a hose, mimicking how a human body would nourish a baby.
A prototype is reportedly on track for release next year. Early reports suggest it could cost around 100,000 yuan, which is roughly $13,700 USD, making it a high-end but groundbreaking product.
Unlike a simple incubator, Dr. Zhang’s vision is for a humanoid machine that doesn’t just nurture the baby once conceived but actually simulates the entire process from conception right through to birth, according to coverage in Asian media outlets.
He explained that artificial womb technology is already at what he called a “mature stage.” The next step, he said, is to implant it in the robot’s abdomen, so that a human and the machine can interact to make pregnancy possible in a brand-new way.
Dr. Zhang revealed his plans in an interview that was shared on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.
The announcement quickly spread across social media in China, where it sparked heated debate. Many people criticized the concept as unnatural and full of moral concerns.
But not everyone was against the idea. Quite a few people expressed support, pointing out that it could spare women from the physical pain and health risks linked to pregnancy.
One supportive comment said: “Many families pay significant expenses for artificial insemination only to fail, so the development of the pregnancy robot contributes to society.”
This so-called “biobag” worked like a temporary womb, giving the fetus oxygen, nutrients, and a cushion of amniotic fluid that helped it grow normally.
After about 28 days inside, lambs that likely would have died were instead thriving. They gained weight, grew wool, and developed more naturally than expected.
Since the 1970s, feminist voices such as Andrea Dworkin have spoken out strongly against artificial wombs, warning they could mark what she once described as the “end of women.”
In 2012, Dworkin wrote: “Women already have the power to eliminate men and in their collective wisdom have decided to keep them.”
In 2022, a research team from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, which has been testing artificial wombs, published an article examining the ethical questions surrounding the technology.
In the paper, they wrote: “A concern is that it could lead to the devaluation or even pathologizing of pregnancy, and may diminish women’s experience of deriving meaning, empowerment, and self–fulfillment from this unique aspect of female biology.”
The idea has even made its way into pop culture. In the 2023 film The Pod Generation, a futuristic tech company gives couples the option of using detachable artificial wombs, or “pods”, to split the experience of pregnancy between them.
If the concept of a humanoid pregnancy robot succeeds, supporters say it could help address the growing infertility problem in China.
To respond to this trend, local governments have started covering artificial insemination and IVF treatments through health insurance in hopes of making it easier for couples facing infertility to have children.
