During its first public demonstration this week, Russia's initial domestically manufactured artificial intelligence-powered humanoid robot fell face-first, highlighting the difficulties Russia encounters in vying with more established frontrunners in AI and robotics, such as the U.S. And China.
TL;DR
- Russia's first AI-driven robot, AIdol, fell face-first during its public debut in Moscow.
- The incident highlighted Russia's challenges in AI and robotics compared to the U.S. and China.
- Developers blamed lighting for the fall, calling it a learning experience.
- AIdol is designed for locomotion, handling objects, and human interaction, with mostly Russian-made components.
The robot, named AIdol, was unveiled during a tech showcase at the Yarovit Hall Congress Center in Moscow on Monday. As the machine walked onto the stage accompanied by two handlers to “Gonna Fly Now,” the theme from the 1976 film Rocky, it waved to the audience before taking a few steps, losing its balance, and toppling over. Event staff rushed to cover the fallen robot with a black cloth and carried it from the stage, cutting the presentation short. You have to see it for yourself.
Vladimir Vitukhin, CEO of the Moscow-based startup Idol, attributed the fall to calibration issues potentially caused by the robot’s stereo cameras being overly sensitive to the lighting conditions in the hall. “This is real-time learning, when a good mistake turns into knowledge, and a bad mistake turns into experience,” Vitukhin told attendees following the incident, according to Newsweek. “I hope that this mistake will turn into an experience.”
Handlers helped the robot back onstage, where it stayed upright. Vitukhin confirmed AIdol wasn't harmed by the tumble.
AIdol is engineered for three primary tasks: locomotion, handling objects, and interacting with humans. The company states the humanoid robot can operate autonomously for up to six hours, and its face, made of flexible silicone, can convey a minimum of 12 fundamental emotions along with “hundreds” microexpressions. The robot's entire operational framework functions without an internet connection. The accompanying video provides a clear, close-up view of AIdol, particularly its facial features.
🇷🇺 Russia’s first humanoid AI robot, Aidol (Artificial Intelligence Doll), fell face-first during its public debut in Moscow.
The robot managed a wave before collapsing.
Handlers rushed to help and later covered the scene with a sheet.
Developers blamed poor lighting and… pic.twitter.com/kq8NgbVXrn— Info Connect (@infoconnectnow) November 12, 2025
According to the company, 77% of AIdol’s components are Russian-made, and it plans to raise that number to 93% when the robot eventually enters mass production. Russia, of course, faces sanctions from Western nations over the country’s invasion of Ukraine, which has restricted the country’s access to advanced electronics, semiconductor components, and other critical technologies needed for robotics development.
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent departure of major international manufacturers due to sanctions, the nation's robotics industry has experienced struggled mightily. The country continues to grapple with persistent issues concerning a lack of components and a decline in skilled engineers.
AIdol's somewhat disappointing launch clearly demonstrates its significant lag behind certain global rivals. For instance, Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot is capable of parkour and independently moving objects, a feat achieved through its machine learning-enhanced visual capabilities. Furthermore, Chinese companies have achieved considerable progress in the field of humanoid robotics; just recently, the planet's wealthiest individual, Elon Musk said “Tesla and China companies will dominate the [robotics] market.”
Idol's creators foresee AIdol's use in sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, and public services, including banks and airports. Nevertheless, the company has remained silent on the particular AI system driving the robot and the projected timeline for large-scale production.