Russia's push to highlight its advances in artificial intelligence met an unexpected setback when its first humanoid robot, named Aidol, toppled over moments after being introduced at a Moscow event. The machine appeared on stage to the iconic “Gonna Fly Now” theme from Rocky, but the brief showcase ended abruptly as the robot lost balance and face-planted in front of a live audience.
Footage shared online shows Aidol stepping out, lifting its right arm as if greeting the crowd, and then swaying before crashing face-first onto the floor. Assistants rushed in to lift the robot, and a black curtain was quickly drawn across the stage to conceal the scene.
Watch the clip here:
The first Russian 'humanoid' robot powered by artificial intelligence stumbled on stage during its debut walkout in Moscow and landed face down pic.twitter.com/fCSAu9xINS
November 13, 2025The robot's developer is a company also known as Aidol. According to a report in The New York Times, Vladimir Vitukhin, Aidol's chief executive, said the machine was still in its learning phase. Vitukhin told Russian state news agency Tass, “I hope this mistake will turn into an experience.”
The robot's developers said on the project's website that the AI-powered machine was designed to walk, handle objects and interact with people. They noted that such capabilities could make it useful across a range of sectors, including automotive manufacturing, warehouses, medicine and entertainment, stated the NYR report.
Reacting to the incident, Tech Radar's Lance Ulanoff told Fox Business, “The Russian robot could barely walk and wave its hand. This made Russia look like it's very far behind, not only in the robot race but in the generative AI one, as well.” He contrasted the misstep with progress elsewhere, saying, “The US boasts robots like Tesla Optimus, Figure 03 and Atlas from Boston Dynamics, and these are machines that walk, dance, flip and handle chores."
Reports state that the Moscow event was intended to signal Russia's progress in AI and robotics as it seeks a place in the international race to develop advanced humanoid systems.
Many companies, from emerging start-ups to major technology giants, are now racing to bring humanoid robots into homes and workplaces. In 2024 alone, investment in humanoid technology exceeded $1.6 billion, reported NYT. This figure does not include the multibillion-dollar commitment from Elon Musk and Tesla towards Optimus, the robot the company began developing in 2021.
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