Nvidia Chief's Microduck Demo Drives 20,000 Robot Preorders

A demonstration involving Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and a group of small robots has sparked a surge in consumer interest, with preorder totals for the devices crossing 20,000 units. The spike in orders came shortly after footage circulated showing Huang interacting with the machines during a keynote presentation at the company's GTC Berlin conference earlier this week.

During the session, the robots responded to voice commands by performing actions such as sitting, falling asleep, and performing somersaults. The devices also emitted sounds comparable to R2-D2 while stomping their feet. The response to the video was immediate, with Hugging Face CEO Clem Delangue reporting via tweet that the preorder count exceeded the 20,000 mark by the following day.

The units, known as Microducks, are scheduled to arrive before the end of the year. This timeline has led to suggestions that the device could become a prominent toy for the Christmas season. Delangue stated that the Microduck could be the best-selling robot of the year, noting that interest is coming from adults as well as children, based on promotional materials.

The hardware is produced by Pollen Robotics, which was acquired by Hugging Face in 2025. The chain of ownership continued when Nvidia purchased Hugging Face in September. As a result, the Microduck is now part of Nvidia's portfolio. This release follows the launch of the Reachy Mini, which was Hugging Face's first robot.

The development of the Microduck involved Nvidia's technology stack. Simulations were used to teach the robots basic behaviors such as walking, sitting, and standing prior to shipment. Pollen has stated that owners can train their devices to perform additional tasks, which can then be shared with the wider community.

While the broader AI sector has faced scrutiny regarding cybersecurity and the impact of automated systems, this particular demonstration highlighted the recreational potential of the technology. The interaction between the Nvidia chief and the robots resulted in a high volume of preorders in a short period.