Hugging Face says its roller-skating robot duck scored $2.6 million in orders in 24 hours
Hugging Face's new consumer-focused robot, the 'Microduck,' generated $2.6 million in preorders within its first 24 hours. The programmable, roller-skating robot represents a shift in AI application from digital chatbots to physical consumer hardware.
Why it matters
It signals growing consumer interest in accessible, programmable robotics, moving AI technology out of research labs and into the home.
The duck, which uses cameras, LiDAR scanner, and 15 motors, is accepting preorders at $399. Hugging Face, Pollen Robotics Hugging Face appears to have gotten its ducks in a row. Cofounder Thomas Wolf said shoppers are flocking to buy the nearly 10-inch, programmable Microduck. It's the latest attempt by a tech company to develop a consumer-friendly robotics product. Apparently, a lot of people want a nearly 10-inch-tall robot duck. On Friday, Hugging Face cofounder Thomas Wolf wrote in a post on X that customers placed more than $2.6 million worth of orders for Microduck during its first 24 hours on sale. The update came after Wolf said on Thursday, roughly six hours after the product was announced, that preorders had already topped $1 million.
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