The California State Athletic Commission has issued a cease-and-desist order to Rek, a startup hosting robot vs human cage matches, following a fight between a human and a Terminator-inspired robot on September 18th. The commission argues that any such match involving a human requires their permission.
Frankie LaPenna, the human contestant, faced off against a humanoid robot owned by Rek, with the robot piloted remotely using a virtual-reality system. Rek describes itself as the ‘humanoid robot fighting league’ on its website, and the robot appears to be from EngineAI with a Terminator-like head.
Cix Liv, CEO of Rek, responded to the order on X by posting the letter and stating, ‘We made it boys.’ The next planned event involves two robots with weapons fighting each other, raising questions about the future direction of combat sports.
This move by California highlights the ongoing debate over the integration of robotics in traditional sports, with some seeing it as a new frontier and others as a cautionary tale. As technology advances, the line between human and machine competition becomes ever more blurred.
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