It's an immediate front-runner for Russia's embarrassing foray into robotics.

PublishedNovember 12, 2025 8:47 PM EST•UpdatedNovember 12, 2025 8:47 PM EST

Certain nations excel in certain areas. 

France has great food.

Japan makes great cars, electronics, and Godzilla movies.

America? Well, we kick ass at everything.

But this would mean that some nations are bad at things, and I think we can definitely say that Russia stinks when it comes to robotics.

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This week, Russia's first AI-powered anthropomorphic robot, AIdol, made its big debut, and what a production it was. The plan appeared to be for the robot to saunter out on stage as the theme from Rocky blasted from the PA system.

Well, it was clear as soon as AIdol stepped on stage that this bot didn't exactly have the impressive balance we see from Russia's traditional greatest export, unicycle-riding bears.

So is AIdol a success so far? I think it's a definitive N-YET.

That went so poorly, I thought they were going to throw up one of those "Technical Difficulties" banners a la The Simpsons…

I've seen hours-old giraffes that can walk better than that robot. I mean, everyone knew there was an issue when it started rocking back and forth like a sorority girl trying to get back to the Tri-Delt house after a few too many vodka cranberries.

What's wild is that AIdol stumbling on stage and eating a plate of s--t may not even be Russia's most embarrassing robotics-related faux pas.

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Back in 2018 — in what is one of my favorite news stories of all-time — Russian state TV showed footage of a "hi-tech robot" that was referred to as "Robot Boris."

But it eventually came out that Robot Boris may have just been some dude named Boris, because it was revealed that the robot was nothing more than a guy in a very expensive robot costume.

So, as you can see, between this and stumbling, bumbling AIdol, Russia is quite a way behind the robotics eight-ball.