At the 2025 AI Day, Xpeng (NYSE: XPEV) introduced its latest Iron humanoid robot, which appeared so realistic that many speculated a human was concealed inside the prototype.
Initially, doubts were shared in scattered discussions but soon became trending topics on Chinese social media, prompting a response from Xpeng's management.
Xpeng's chairman and CEO He Xiaopeng stated on Weibo: "This truly leaves our robotics team both delighted and amused. Some people just can't believe how fast the world is changing."
The female Iron humanoid made a striking catwalk appearance during the live event, yet over half of the online comments questioned if it was a real robot or a person inside, Mr. He revealed.
He shared an unedited video proving that the new Iron is indeed a robot.
He added that standing beside Iron, he could hear wind noise from its internal cooling system, and showcased intricate hand details and a microphone array near the ears.
A social media user commented: "Tesla's robot can't walk this smoothly -- there's no way this is possible."
The new Iron robot represents a significant step forward in lifelike robotics technology from Xpeng.
Author's summary: Xpeng's latest Iron robot stunned audiences with its lifelike design, sparking debates that the company firmly addressed by revealing technological advancements behind its humanoid features.