When tech company Xpeng unveiled its Next Gen Iron humanoid recently, the robot glided across the stage with movement so fluid that the crowd froze. Many of those in the crowd thought they saw an actor in a suit. Clips spread online within hours, and people everywhere claimed the same thing: it looked too human to be a machine.
The reaction spread fast, so Xpeng's CEO He Xiaopeng returned to the stage one day later with a plan to settle the argument. He cut into Iron's leg to show its internal machinery. It felt theatrical but also necessary to end the rumor that a human controlled the robot from inside.
The demonstration showed Iron was a real machine with complex systems beneath its flexible skin.
He shared how his robotics team stayed awake through the night, seeing viewers accuse them of staging a stunt. After the reveal, Iron walked again in front of the crowd without a human inside. The moment closed the debate and highlighted how far the company has come since its first model in 2024.
The latest Iron uses a humanoid spine with bionic muscles and flexible skin. It moves with 82 degrees of freedom, and its human-sized hands include 22 degrees of freedom supported by a tiny harmonic joint engineered by the company. The robot runs on all solid-state batteries that keep the body light and strong.
Iron also uses Xpeng's second-generation VLA model. Three Turing chips with 2,250 TOPS of power support tasks like conversations, walking and natural interactions. It responds in ways that feel closer to a person than a robot.
Xpeng says future versions will offer different body shapes. That claim hints at customizable designs when these units reach consumers.
Xpeng's long-term vision goes far beyond a single showcase moment. The company plans to place the Next Gen Iron model in real-world environments. Early units will focus on commercial roles such as tour guides, shopping guides and customer service helpers. These placements allow the robots to interact with large crowds, gather feedback and refine their behavior in dynamic public spaces.
This rollout forms part of what Xpeng describes as a gradual path toward mass production. The team aims to reach large-scale manufacturing by the end of 2026. That milestone could introduce hundreds or even thousands of humanoid units into select venues. Businesses may adopt them to manage foot traffic, assist guests or support basic retail tasks.
While the company talks openly about commercial integration, the timeline for home use remains unclear. They have not shared when consumers will be able to buy a version suited for daily household tasks. Engineers still need to address safety, privacy and reliability standards before a humanoid can operate inside private homes.
Even so, this moment signals a clear shift: robots that move and react in a lifelike way are no longer far-off ideas. They are stepping into public spaces where people will see them operate up close. This shift could reshape how we all view service work and personal assistance in the years ahead.
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