Russia’s much-hyped entry into the world of humanoid robots suffered a humiliating blow during its grand unveiling in Moscow this week. The AI-powered android, named AIDOL, was introduced as the nation’s first human-like robot — but instead of a triumphant debut, it faceplanted on stage in front of stunned journalists.
To the dramatic tune of the “Rocky” theme song, handlers escorted AIDOL onto the stage where it briefly raised a hand to greet the audience. Seconds later, the android began to stagger and promptly crashed face-first onto the floor. Pieces of its frame broke off and scattered as the robot flailed helplessly. Meanwhile, the lyrics “Trying hard now! It’s so hard now!” played on, perfectly capturing the unfolding disaster.
Panic ensued. Handlers scrambled to lift the fallen robot while another tried to hide the wreckage behind a black curtain — but the curtain tangled, leaving the crowd with an unobstructed view of the struggling machine. A brief silence was followed by nervous applause, as clips of the robotic blunder quickly went viral online.
AIDOL is the creation of a small, independent Russian startup with a team of only 14 developers. The company later issued a statement saying they were puzzled by the media attention over the fall. They emphasized the project was not government-funded and that AIDOL represents one of Russia’s most advanced efforts in robotics.
Designed to walk, speak, and even express 12 different emotions, AIDOL can carry up to 22 pounds and was touted as Russia’s answer to humanoid projects like Tesla’s Optimus and Boston Dynamics’ Atlas. The creators blamed the fall on voltage issues and poor stage lighting, claiming the robot had successfully navigated other surfaces during tests.
While the stumble may be seen as a PR nightmare, the developers insist it’s simply a hiccup in the path of progress. Still, critics online have been quick to mock the moment, comparing AIDOL’s failure to past overhyped tech stunts.
