HANGZHOU - A 31-year-old man, frustrated with his failed attempts to find a girlfriend, decided that he would marry a robot he built instead.

Mr Zheng Jiaja and his creation, which he named Yingying, wed in a simple ceremony in the capital city of Zhejiang province last Friday (March 31), according to local media reports.

The artificial intelligence expert was seen in photos dressed in a black suit, while Yingying wore a black dress and had her head covered with a red scarf.

Mr Zheng's mother and friends were present at the ceremony.

Speaking to the Qianjiang Evening News, one of Mr Zheng's friends said he had grown weary of futile attempts to find a girlfriend.

Mr Zheng created the robot towards the end of last year. Yingying can reportedly identify Chinese characters and speak some simple words.

There are plans to upgrade her so that she can walk and help out with household chores, a report claimed.

A former employee of telecommunications firm Huawei, Mr Zheng joined Internet venture company Hangzhou Dream Town in 2014.