German police investigate after robot allegedly gropes teenage girl, raising AI ethics concerns

German police have launched an investigation after a humanoid robot allegedly groped a 16-year-old girl in Cologne over the weekend. The incident reportedly occurred late Saturday night near a fast-food restaurant, where the robot is accused of touching the teenager's buttocks and making sexually suggestive gestures.

Authorities seized the red-and-gold robot, which is approximately four feet tall, along with the smartphones of its 16-year-old owner and his 19-year-old companion. The two young men are suspected of livestreaming the alleged assault and commenting on it online.

Investigators are currently examining whether the robot's actions were pre-programmed or controlled in real-time by the suspects, describing the case as "new territory" for law enforcement. While no charges have been filed yet, the police are investigating on suspicion of a sexually motivated insult and potential violations related to the unauthorized publication of images.