The AI gold rush in China has been moving at warp speed, but as the hype bubble shows signs of cooling, some tech founders are realizing that algorithms alone might not be enough. What do you do when your embodied AI startup hits a snag, investor cash dries up, and the robots aren’t robot-ing? You turn to the gods.
Reports have emerged from platforms like 36kr and Zhihu that some desperate Chinese AI founders are taking a highly unscientific approach to their high-tech problems: burning incense and kowtowing to altars for good luck. It’s a surreal, darkly humorous twist in a hyper-competitive tech subculture where intense hustle culture meets ancient spiritual superstitions.
Embodied AI—robots designed to physically interact with the real world—was heralded as the next massive frontier. But the gap between sci-fi expectations and current technical limitations is widening, putting immense pressure on founders to deliver miracles. This return to analog rituals highlights the deep anxiety of an industry facing an uncertain economic reality. For young digital natives navigating this high-stress landscape, it’s a major vibe check on the limits of pure logic. Sometimes, when the code fails and the VC funding stalls, you just have to hope the universe has your back.
Fabricated cover image via Nano Banana Pro/RADII.
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