The open-source, bipedal Microduck robot, a collaborative creation between Hugging Face and France’s Pollen Robotics, has captured considerable interest with its accessible price point of $399. Its standout feature is its reinforcement learning capabilities, which empower it to acquire new skills through trial and error, autonomously recover from falls, and execute basic movements such as walking and grasping. The robot’s hardware is designed with modularity in mind, incorporating a diverse array of sensors and supporting multilingual programming as well as module expansion. To keep costs down, production is outsourced to manufacturers in Shenzhen. The Microduck’s design draws inspiration from classic toys, aiming to make artificial intelligence more approachable to the general public. This launch signifies Hugging Face’s strategic move from AI models into robotic hardware. The company adopts a low-cost, high-transparency approach to attract developers. Since opening for pre-orders, sales have skyrocketed, with plans to deliver over 20,000 units in the initial batch and a goal to surpass 50,000 units overall. Despite facing intense competition, Hugging Face remains dedicated to independent innovation and continues to field investment offers.