The first domestically produced artificial intelligence humanoid robot in Russia was implanted during the war First public demonstration this week, highlighting the challenges Russia faces in competing with more established leaders in artificial intelligence and robotics such as the United States and China.
The robot, called AIdol, was unveiled during a technology demonstration at the Yarovit Hall conference center in Moscow on Monday. As the machine walked on stage accompanied by two handlers to the song “Gonna Fly Now”, the theme taken from the 1976 film rockyShe waved to the crowd before taking a few steps, losing her balance and toppling over. Event staff rushed to cover the fallen robot with a black cloth and carried it off the stage, cutting the show short. You have to see it for yourself.
Vladimir Vitokhin, CEO of Moscow-based startup Idol, attributed the drop to calibration issues likely caused by the robot’s stereo cameras being overly sensitive to lighting conditions in the auditorium. “This is real-time learning, when a good mistake turns into knowledge, and a bad mistake turns into experience,” Vitokhin told those present after the incident. according to Newsweek. “I hope this mistake turns into an experience.”
The robot was later returned to the stage and was able to remain upright with the help of therapists. Vitokhin confirmed that AIdol did not suffer damage as a result of the fall.
The AIdol is designed to perform three main functions: walking, manipulating objects, and communicating with people. The robot can perform up to six hours of autonomous operation, according to the company, and its face is capable of expressing at least 12 basic emotions and “hundreds” of micro-expressions through its flexible silicone skin. All robot systems work offline. The video below gives a good idea of what AIdol looks like up close, including his face.
Russia’s first AI robot, Idol (AI doll), fell on its face during its first public appearance in Moscow.
The robot managed to wave before collapsing.Healers rushed to help and later covered the scene with a sheet.
The developers blamed poor lighting and… pic.twitter.com/kq8NgbVXrn– Contact information (@infoconnectnow) November 12, 2025
According to the company, 77% of AIdol’s components are Russian-made Plan to raise that number to 93% when the robot eventually enters mass production. Russia, of course, faces sanctions from Western countries because of its invasion of Ukraine, which is what actually happened Restrict access to the country To advanced electronics, semiconductor components and other critical technologies needed to develop robotics.
The robotics sector in Russia has Struggle hard Since its invasion of Ukraine, when major international manufacturers exited the Russian market in response to sanctions. The country has faced ongoing challenges related to component shortages and loss of engineering talent.
Notably, AIdol’s less-than-perfect debut really highlights how far behind it is compared to some international competitors. Atlas robot from Boston DynamicsFor example, it can parkour and manipulate objects on its own, thanks to machine learning-powered vision systems. Chinese manufacturers have also made significant progress in humanoid robotics: just last week, he became the richest man in the world Elon Musk said “Tesla and China will dominate the (robotics) market.”
The developers at Idol envision AIdol being deployed in manufacturing, logistics and public services such as banks and airports. However, the company did not reveal the specific AI system powering the robot, or when we can expect mass production to begin.
The post Russia’s first AI-powered robot walked on stage to triumphant music, took a few steps, and then immediately faceplanted first appeared on Investorempires.com.
