From Artificial Wombs to Robots Caring for Children?… China Develops AI Babysitter

Chinese Suzhou Research Institute Develops AI System for Fetal Monitoring in Artificial Womb Environment
Some Raise Ethical Concerns Despite Surrogate Mother Ban

(Photo by National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) website)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] Chinese scientists have developed a robotic nanny system that cares for and monitors fetuses to safely grow in artificial wombs, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on the 31st (local time). While some see this as a breakthrough for countries facing a low birthrate crisis, there are also voices expressing concerns about legal and ethical controversies.

According to SCMP, researchers in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China, have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) system that can monitor and care for embryos as they grow into fetuses in an artificial womb environment.

In a biotechnology journal published last month in China, the researchers announced that this AI nanny is currently caring for multiple animal embryos. The journal reported that with this technology, women do not need to carry babies themselves, allowing fetuses to grow more safely and efficiently outside the body.

According to Professor Sun Haixian’s team at the Suzhou Institute of Biotechnology, a subsidiary of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the artificial womb used in the study, called the "organ embryo culture device," grows mouse embryos in a cube-shaped tube filled with nutrient-rich fluid.

In the past, the developmental process of each embryo had to be manually observed, recorded, and adjusted daily. However, as the scale of research expanded, such manual work became unsustainable labor-intensive research.

The paper published by the Suzhou researchers in the journal stated that the currently developed AI nanny can closely observe embryos 24 hours a day. The AI technology helps the machine detect subtle signs of changes in the embryos and finely adjust carbon dioxide, nutrients, and environmental pressures.

The research team explained that this system can even rank embryos based on health and growth potential. If a fetus develops serious problems or dies, the machine can notify and alert technicians.

Current international law prohibits experimental research on human embryos beyond two weeks of development. However, Professor Sun Haixian’s team and colleagues argued in their paper that "there are still many unresolved mysteries about the physiology of typical human embryo development, making research on later stages important." They added, "This technology will not only help deepen understanding of the origin of life and human embryo development but also provide a theoretical foundation for addressing congenital defects and other major health issues."

This research is related to China’s sharp decline in birthrate, with the number of newborns nearly halving over five years since 2016. According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China, last year’s net population growth rate was the lowest in 60 years.

However, for the AI nanny to become a reality, ethical issues seem to need resolution before technical limitations. A researcher at a pediatric capital research institute in Beijing, who requested anonymity, said, "Technology will not be the problem," but added, "Legal and ethical issues could arise not only in China but also in other regions."

In fact, surrogate childbirth is legally prohibited in China. Artificial wombs could mean turning hospitals into surrogate mothers. Regarding this, the researcher emphasized, "No hospital would want to take responsibility for this issue," adding, "If some children are born by parents and others by the government, it would be a big problem."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.