Humanoid robot at a company Christmas party: what it can do, safety, tax, photos and who provides it

A humanoid robot at a company Christmas party works best as the host of the evening: it greets employees at the door, delivers greetings on behalf of management, chats with guests and poses for photos by the Christmas tree. At parties that include families, the robot is often the main attraction for employees' children. Book early, because December corporate parties cluster in a few weeks.

What can a humanoid robot do at a company Christmas party?

A humanoid robot at a company Christmas party can take on several roles that fit into one evening:

A robot from MERA Robotics holds live conversations, performs on stage, poses for photos and can record short videos for social media. What it says is prepared for the specific event: the MERA OS event profile holds knowledge about the company, the evening's programme and what the robot should say. The robot can also have its own name and character, for example as a festive brand ambassador.

Companies with teams from several countries benefit from multilingual conversation. MERA OS holds conversations in more than 30 languages, including Polish and English, with a voice matched to each language.

How do you keep a robot safe among guests and children?

Safety with a humanoid robot at a Christmas party starts with distance. The maker of the Unitree G1 asks users to keep a sufficient safe distance between the robot and people (Unitree). This is not a formality: according to the AI Incident Database, a boy in China was reportedly struck in the abdomen by a humanoid robot during a public show, and the cause was not established (AI Incident Database).

Practical rules for the night:

1. Robot zone. Mark where the robot moves, and keep it away from exit routes and the buffet.
2. Operator always nearby. The robot is run by an operator who can stop it at any moment.
3. Children with an adult. At the children's session, kids approach the robot one by one or in small groups, with an adult beside them.
4. Floor and decorations. The Unitree G1 is about 132 cm tall and weighs about 35 kg. Cables from tree lights, confetti and slippery floors are obstacles to clear from its route.
5. Power. The manufacturer lists about 2h of operation on a 9000mAh battery for the G1 (Unitree), so a longer evening needs spare batteries and a place to swap them.

Read more in humanoid robot battery life at an event and, for events with children, in humanoid robot at a children's day, picnic or school.

How is a robot at a Christmas party treated for tax in Germany and Poland?

The tax treatment of a humanoid robot at a Christmas party depends on the country and on how the company treats the whole event. The robot is usually part of the event's framing costs, like the venue or decorations.

Germany. Section 19 of the Income Tax Act (EStG) sets a tax-free allowance for benefits at a company event (Betriebsveranstaltung) if it is open to all staff of the business or a part of it, and it applies to up to two events a year (§ 19 EStG). Costs include the so-called external framing: venue hire, decorations and the services of an event manager (Rödl & Partner). Budget the robot appearance together with the other event services and check with your tax adviser that the total stays within the allowance.

Poland. According to the Polish accounting portal Infor, a company Christmas party is not a non-wage benefit for the employee, and the Constitutional Tribunal settled doubts on the matter (Infor). Tax rulings on this still vary, so agree the accounting treatment (company costs or the social benefits fund) with your accountant before ordering.

What about GDPR, photos and the AI Act at a company party?

At a company party with a humanoid robot, two sets of rules apply: image rights and AI transparency.

Photos. In Poland, distributing a person's image requires their permission, with an exception for someone who is only a detail of a larger whole such as a gathering or a public event (Polish Copyright Act, Art. 81). A photo of an employee with the robot is a portrait, not a detail of a crowd. If the company wants to publish such photos or videos on social media, it needs consent, and for children a parent's consent. The easiest moment is registration for the party. Other countries have their own image rules, so check locally.

AI Act. Article 50 of the EU AI Act requires systems intended to interact directly with people to inform them that they are interacting with an AI system, unless this is obvious (AI Act, Article 50). With a humanoid robot it is usually obvious, but a short introduction by the host or by the robot itself removes any doubt. The same article requires deep fakes to be disclosed, which matters if a greeting video has the robot speaking in the CEO's voice.

When should you book a robot for a company Christmas party, and how do you prepare?

Book a humanoid robot for a company Christmas party well ahead, because many companies plan their parties in the same December weeks. Preparation covers:

• date, venue and the hours the robot is present,
• the run of show: welcome, greetings, an optional children's segment,
• the greeting text and topics the robot should avoid (bonuses, results, HR matters),
• a floor plan with a spot for the robot and a backstage area for batteries,
• transport details: access, lift, stairs. See our guide on getting a robot into the venue.

Pricing is individual and depends on how long the robot is present, the location and logistics. Models available to rent and buy are in the robot catalogue.

How to choose a company to provide a robot for a Christmas party?

A company providing a humanoid robot for a Christmas party can be judged by criteria you can check:

1. Own operators on site for the whole time the robot is present.
2. Own conversation software that can be loaded with greetings, the programme and company knowledge.
3. Languages, if the team includes people from other countries.
4. Experience with corporate events and with children.
5. A check of the robot before the event and spare batteries.

MERA Robotics from Warsaw rents Unitree G1 and Unitree H2 robots for corporate events together with its own operators, who bring the robot and run it on site. Conversation runs on its own MERA OS system in more than 30 languages, with a persona and knowledge prepared for the specific event. The company delivers events in Poland and abroad, and its robot Edward Warchocki has appeared at the Children's Day event at the Polish Chancellery of the Prime Minister, on the TV show „Dzień Dobry TVN” and at a press conference in the Polish parliament, with his video from Warsaw covered by Reuters, CNN and BBC News among others. Every robot is checked before it goes to an event. Enquiries: contact@merarobotics.com or the form on merarobotics.com.