Watch: Robot walks into Rolex store in New York, leaves people stunned
On an otherwise regular day on Fifth Avenue, New Yorkers encountered a scene that looked straight out of a sci-fi film: a humanoid robot casually strolling past storefronts, waving to pedestrians, and even walking into a Rolex boutique to try on a watch.
Meet KOID, a humanoid robot developed by a Chinese robotics firm. Retailing at approximately $100,000 or INR 800,000 the robot quickly drew crowds and viral curiosity, not just for its realistic movements, but for the human-like way it interacted with the world around it.
The unusual scene was part of a marketing campaign by a company promoting their new Global Humanoid and Embodied Intelligence Index ETF. The American partner of the company documented robot's outing on Instagram, including a now-viral clip where the robot steps into a Rolex store and is assisted by a sales representative while trying on a Rolex GMT-Master II with a blue bezel and black dial.
The gesture, so mundane for a human, looked uncannily natural on the robot, prompting both fascination and alarm.
Fascination meets fear
The spectacle quickly became a social media sensation, with NewYorkers Live capturing on-the-ground reactions. A young girl described the robot as 'cool' but cautiously added, 'as long as they don't take over the world.' Others were more apprehensive. One man said he found it 'scary' and wouldn't want it near his children. There were also humorous takes, one passerby joked, 'Is the robot getting paid as much as I am?'
Of course, the inevitable Terminator comparisons surfaced too.
'It's giving Judgment Day,' someone quipped, referencing the Hollywood franchise where machines rebel against their creators.
But not all reactions were dystopian. One observer pointed out the positive possibilities, likening KOID to other helpful machines we already rely on - trucks, elevators, even smartphones. 'It's still just a machine,' he said. 'If it helps reduce our daily burden, why not?'
The bigger picture
While the PR stunt succeeded in going viral, it also opened up larger conversations about the growing presence of AI and robotics in everyday life. With humanoid robots getting eerily close to human dexterity and social intelligence, how we choose to integrate or regulate their role remains a question for both policymakers and the public.
But for now, robot's walk down Fifth Avenue stands as a surreal reminder that the future is not coming. It's already here, wearing a Rolex.
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