Microduck Robots Sell 20,000 Preorders After Nvidia CEO’s Viral Demonstration

A brief demonstration at a major technology conference has propelled a small, duck-shaped robot into the spotlight, highlighting how an engaging public appearance can accelerate interest in emerging artificial intelligence products.

Microducks, developed by French robotics company Pollen Robotics and distributed through its parent company, Hugging Face, attracted more than 20,000 preorders after Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang showcased the devices during the company’s GTC conference in Berlin. The announcement was shared by Hugging Face chief executive Clément Delangue following the demonstration, which circulated widely online.

The reaction illustrates the growing appeal of compact, programmable robots that combine accessible design with technologies traditionally associated with advanced robotics research.

A Viral Demonstration Turns Robots Into a Consumer Hit

During his presentation in Berlin, Huang interacted with several Microducks, asking them to perform simple actions, including sitting down, resting and completing somersaults. Their waddling movements, electronic sounds and occasional inability to follow instructions helped make the demonstration particularly memorable.

Videos of the robots spread across social media, drawing attention beyond the audience of engineers and technology professionals attending the conference.

The surge in preorders followed quickly. According to Delangue, orders had exceeded 20,000 units by the day after the demonstration went viral, raising the prospect that the device could become one of the year's most popular consumer-facing robotics products.

The figures point to substantial early interest, although preorder numbers alone do not establish how many units will ultimately be delivered or how successfully the robots will perform in everyday use.

What Makes the Microduck Different?

Microduck is designed to make experimentation with robotics more approachable. Rather than concentrating on household automation or industrial tasks, the compact machine offers a platform for learning, programming and developing new behaviours.

Its basic functions include walking, sitting, standing and manipulating small objects with its beak-like mechanism. Users can also explore new movements by training a virtual version of the robot in a physics simulator before transferring the resulting behaviour to the physical device.

This approach gives developers and enthusiasts an opportunity to experiment without building a robot entirely from scratch. It also allows users to share their creations with a wider community, reinforcing the collaborative principles associated with open-source technology.

Hugging Face Brings Open-Source AI Into the Physical World

The Microduck project reflects Hugging Face’s broader ambition to extend its open-source AI ecosystem beyond software and into machines that interact with their surroundings.

Pollen Robotics, the French company behind the device, became part of Hugging Face in 2025. The Microduck follows the Reachy Mini, another compact robot designed to encourage experimentation with interactive AI systems.

The robot incorporates sensors and communication features that developers can use to build applications and test new capabilities. Its open development model is intended to encourage users to create, adapt and exchange behaviours rather than remain limited to the functions available at launch.

For the robotics industry, this approach offers a way to engage developers and technology enthusiasts while making experimentation more accessible than traditional research-oriented platforms.

Nvidia’s AI Technology Helps Bridge Simulation and Reality

The demonstration also highlighted the growing relationship between artificial intelligence and physical machines. Nvidia technology was used to train the Microducks in simulated environments, where movements can be tested before being deployed on actual hardware.

This process addresses one of the central challenges in robotics: translating a behaviour learned in a virtual environment into reliable movement in the real world.

Although the robots can execute several basic actions, their inconsistent responses during Huang’s presentation illustrated that reliable physical AI remains a work in progress. Small machines must still cope with movement, balance and instructions in ways that software-only AI systems do not.

For Nvidia, the demonstration offered a visible example of how its computing platforms can support applications beyond conventional data centres and digital assistants.

Can Microduck Become a Mainstream Consumer Robot?

The preorder surge raises questions about whether compact AI-powered robots can establish a lasting consumer market. Their appeal may extend beyond children to developers, hobbyists and adults interested in programmable devices.

However, the Microduck is not designed to replace conventional household appliances or perform complex domestic tasks. Its primary attraction lies in experimentation, interaction and the possibility of teaching it new movements.

Price, availability, software accessibility and the quality of the user experience will help determine whether early enthusiasm translates into sustained demand.

The response to the Berlin demonstration nevertheless offers an encouraging signal for companies exploring consumer robotics. By combining a distinctive design with programmable AI capabilities, Microduck has attracted attention to a field that often struggles to communicate its appeal outside specialist circles.

The broader question is whether that attention can be converted into a durable market for accessible, open-source robots.