Hugging Face Robot Duck Surpasses $2.6 Million in First-Day Orders

Hugging Face's new Microduck robot surpassed $2.6 million in orders within 24 hours of launch, as consumer interest in AI-driven robots surges.

Hugging Face Pre-Orders Exceed $1 Million

On Friday, Hugging Face co-founder Thomas Wolf shared the data in a post on X. In an earlier post, he noted that pre-orders had already exceeded $1 million just six hours after Thursday's release.

We have surpassed $2.6 million in orders within 24 hours of Microduck's launch

— Thomas Wolf, August 28, 2026

Compact Design with Advanced Hardware

The 25-centimeter-tall open-source bipedal robot features 15 actuators and multiple sensors, with a pre-order price of $399. It was released by Pollen Robotics, the French robotics company acquired by Hugging Face last year.

Microduck is Pollen's second consumer-grade robot, following the Reachy Mini desktop model. Unlike its predecessor, it can walk, sit, kick, roller-skate, and grasp small objects with its plastic jaw. It also comes equipped with a camera, LiDAR, and two motion sensors.

The launch comes amid growing attention on Hugging Face. Nvidia Corp. is reportedly seeking to acquire Hugging Face for $13 billion.

Analysts say the platform's expanding footprint in robotics and physical AI could help strengthen Nvidia's hardware distribution capabilities.

Robotics Race Heats Up Across Major Players

The release reflects a broader industry push to move AI from chatbots toward home-use robots.

Microduck's launch underscores a wider industry shift, extending artificial intelligence from chatbots to consumer-facing physical machines.

Tesla Inc. is developing the Optimus humanoid robot, while startup 1X is also building similar machines for everyday consumer use.

Earlier this year, automaker Hyundai proposed selling robots directly through its car dealerships, a move that would bring humanoid robots into the mainstream consumer spotlight.

RoboStrategy Inc. CEO Andrew Kang said he expects robots to match or exceed human capabilities in most physical labor within five years.