Around 30 humanoid and quadruped robots staged an unusual protest outside Poland’s Ministry of Digital Affairs in Warsaw, calling for stronger regulation of artificial intelligence and warning that rapid automation could threaten millions of jobs.
The symbolic demonstration, organized by the civic initiative Democratism, aimed to spark public debate over the growing impact of AI and robotics on the labor market. Robots waved flags, marched in circles and broadcast slogans through loudspeakers, including “Defend workplaces,” “Time for rules,” and “Don’t wait, regulate.”
The protest comes just weeks after Poland began implementing the European Union’s landmark AI Act, making it one of the first major public demonstrations in Europe focused on the employment risks posed by advanced AI systems.
Protest highlights fears over jobs and AI regulation
The robots included bipedal humanoid models and dog-like quadruped machines, with one AI-powered humanoid, Agibot A3, delivering a message that organizers said underscored the reality of today’s technology.
“The robots present here are meant to show that this technology is already a reality,” Agibot A3 said during the demonstration.
Grzegorz Kulis, the protest organizer and a former member of Poland’s Labor Market Council, said the demonstration was intended to draw attention to the possibility that humanoid robots and AI could replace both manual and knowledge-based workers.
“If we don’t react now, we may soon have a problem,” Kulis said, arguing that stronger legal protections are needed to shield workers from the social and economic consequences of automation.
Poland’s Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski visited the protest site and met with organizers, saying uncontrolled AI models embedded in increasingly capable humanoid robots could pose serious challenges if left unregulated.
Gawkowski warned that AI-powered humanoids will continue evolving rapidly as robotization advances, making effective oversight increasingly important.
The protest took place after Polish President Karol Nawrocki signed legislation in July implementing the EU AI Act into national law. The legislation establishes a dedicated national authority responsible for enforcing the European Union’s AI regulations in Poland.
The demonstration reflects broader concerns across Europe over how artificial intelligence could reshape employment, productivity and workplace rights. The EU AI Act introduces rules for high-risk AI systems, transparency requirements and oversight mechanisms, but debate continues over whether additional labor protections are needed as humanoid robots become more capable.
Organizers said the robots themselves were chosen as protesters to demonstrate how quickly AI technology is advancing and to urge policymakers to act before automation outpaces regulation.
