GoKawiilNvidia-owned Hugging Face's Microduck robot tops 20,000 preorders
A video of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang demonstrating small robotic Microducks at the GTC Berlin keynote went viral, and preorders surpassed 20,000 units within a day, according to Hugging Face co-founder Clem Delangue. The Microducks are open-source robots made by Pollen Robotics, a company Hugging Face acquired in 2025; Nvidia itself acquired Hugging Face in September. The devices were trained using Nvidia's technology stack and ship with basic tricks like walking and sitting, with owners able to teach and share new behaviors.
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The viral demand suggests consumer robotics could become an unexpected entry point for Nvidia's AI ecosystem, extending its reach beyond data centers and into households. Delangue's prediction that Microducks could be the year's best-selling robot, including among adults, hints at a broader market for approachable, open-source robotic toys built on major AI infrastructure. The timing also offers Nvidia and Hugging Face a lighthearted counterpoint amid a week of negative AI headlines tied to cyberattacks.
- Microduck preorders exceeded 20,000 units within a day of Jensen Huang's viral demo at GTC Berlin.
- The robots are made by Pollen Robotics, now owned by Hugging Face, which Nvidia acquired in September.
- Microducks are open-source and trained via Nvidia's tech stack, letting owners add and share new tricks.
Source: techcrunch.com — Julie Bort, 2026-10-23
Published there as: “Hottest toy for Christmas? Nvidia CEO plays with adorable Microduck robots, 20,000 sell”
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