Humanoid robot roams NYC, tries on sneakers, grabs hot dogs, and amazes New Yorkers

Time of India

3 days ago

In July 2025, KraneShares introduced KOID, a $100,000 humanoid robot, in Midtown NYC to promote their Global Humanoid and Embodied Intelligence Index ETF. The stunt involved KOID walking down Fifth Avenue, interacting with people, and even trying on sneakers at a Hoka store, generating mixed reactions from amazement to fear.
People in Midtown, New York City (NYC), were left amazed and flabbergasted after the humanoid marched through Midtown.
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Content creator Ben Sweeney orchestrated full scene
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Some onlookers were hopeful
People in Midtown, New York City (NYC), were left amazed and flabbergasted after the humanoid marched through Midtown. While strolling on roads, the humanoid was seen grabbing hot dogs, trying on sneakers, and catching attention in a wild promo stunt. The KOID-branded bot, priced around $100,000, was rolled out last week by global asset management firm KraneShares to promote its Global Humanoid and Embodied Intelligence Index ETF, which launched in June after the bot rang the Nasdaq opening bell.KraneShares, a global asset management firm, introduced the KOID-branded bot in July 2025 for about $100,000. It was launched to promote their Global Humanoid and Embodied Intelligence Index ETF, which started in June, 2025 after the bot rang the Nasdaq opening bell.Joseph Dube, head of marketing at KraneShares, said, 'I feel like I was witnessing firsthand . . . the first lightbulb or the first car,' as quoted by the New York Post. 'People were amazed. Some people were terrified. It was a major mixed bag of reactions,' he added. During the stunt, the bot walked down Fifth Avenue, stopped for selfies, and strolled into a Hoka store, where surprised staff even helped it try on sneakers.Content creator Ben Sweeney set up the entire scene, filming for the @NewYorkers social account and chatting with people on the street. The videos went viral online, with some getting over 100,000 likes.'To mess with humanity . . . y'all gotta stop. Satan, I rebuke you to hell,' one man on the street shouted, according to New York Post. 'How much am I getting paid, and how much is the robot getting paid?' another asked. 'It's going to happen,' a woman said when asked about a potential robot takeover.A blind man called the tech 'wonderful,' noting it could help people who can't have guide dogs due to allergies or other limitations. 'I mean, I would love for it to clean my house,' another passerby said. KOID, developed by Chinese robotics company Unitree and distributed by RoboStore in Long Island, is powered by Stanford's OpenMind software.The bot was controlled remotely during its Fifth Avenue walk, but according to Dube, it's fully programmable and already in use in research labs and universities. Since launch, KraneShares says the ETF has drawn in $28 million. According to the NY Post, the Morgan Stanley Global Humanoid Model projects that there could be 1 billion humanoids and $5 trillion in annual revenue by 2050.