Humanoid robot shops for sneakers on NYC’s Fifth Avenue in Viral Stunt
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Do you think you’ve seen it all in New York City? Shoppers on Fifth Avenue froze when a humanoid robot walked into the Hoka store and tried sneakers.
The slim unitree R1 was not only out for a walk. It played in a controversial stunt that promoted the new artificial intelligence and robotics ETF from Kraneshares.
Passers turned out to be unbelieving while the robot posed from the KOD brand for selfies, grabbed a hot dog and flipped through the shoe racks.
Register for my free Cyberguy report
Receive my best technical tips, urgent security warnings and exclusive deals that are delivered directly in your inbox. Moreover, you get direct access to my ultimate Survival guide for scam – free if you become a member of my Cyberguy.com/newsletter
$ 5,900 Unitree R1 Robot is surprisingly affordable
Unitree R1 Humanoid Robot at Sneaker Store (Kraneshares)
From Nasdaq to Fifth Avenue
The KOD Robot was built by the Chinese robotics company Unitree, with software from Stanford’s OpenMind. The robot, supplied by Robostore in Long Island, had already reached the headlines earlier this week by calling the Nasdaq opening bell.
Although it was checked remotely during this walk in Manhattan, the R1 is fully programmable and already used in research laboratories and universities. The Hoka Sneaker -test was all part of a larger rollout for the Kraneshares Global Humanoid and embodied Intelligence Index ETF, which was launched in June and has already withdrawn $ 28 million in investments.
Unitree R1 Humanoid Robot Rinking the Nasdaq Opening Bell (Robostore)
Why this unitree humanoid robot matters
Humanoids such as the R1 are more than viral photo. They represent a shift to machines that can move, interact and adapt to human environments. The Global Humanoid model of Morgan Stanley predicts that there may be 1 billion humanoid robots that generate $ 5 trillion of annual turnover by 2050. That future may seem far away, but moments like these show how close we can be.
What is artificial intelligence (AI)?
Unitree R1 Humanoid Robot at Sneaker Store (Kraneshares)
What this means for you
Seeing a robot shopping in Manhattan is an example of the technology that customers could serve, help in the retail trade or even do groceries in the near future. Companies invest heavily in humanoid robotics, and the line between novelty and necessity becomes thinner. If robots such as the Unitree R1 today can handle the Real-World environments, imagine what they can be in a few short years.
Get Fox Business on the Go by clicking here
Unitree R1 Humanoid Robot Out and About in NYC (Robostore)
Kurt’s most important take -away restaurants
A sneaker shopping robot may sound like a publicity stunt, and that is it, but it is also a snapshot of how AI-driven machines step into daily life. The big question is not whether you come across a humanoid robot in your area, but when.
Click here to get the Fox News app
Would you feel excited or uncomfortable if a robot walked to your favorite store? Let us know by writing us Cyberguy.com/contact
Register for my free Cyberguy report
Receive my best technical tips, urgent security warnings and exclusive deals that are delivered directly in your inbox. Moreover, you get direct access to my ultimate Survival guide for scam – free if you become a member of my Cyberguy.com/newsletter
Copyright 2025 cyberguy.com. All rights reserved.
