A Chinese humanoid robot named IRON stumbled face-first onto the stage during its first public appearance, drawing gasps from the audience and sparking widespread discussion online. The robot, developed by XPeng Motors, made its debut at a shopping mall in southern China on Saturday, dressed in a black suit and pants, and initially impressed onlookers with its human-like gait. Videos circulating on social media show IRON walking steadily toward the center of the stage, turning to face the crowd, and raising its arm in a gesture. Moments later, it lost balance and fell forward, landing flat on its face. Staff rushed to assist, lifting the robot back up as the audience reacted with surprise and concern. The event’s host quickly addressed the crowd, saying that setbacks are part of progress: “Robots, like humans, must overcome challenges on the way to a better future.” XPeng CEO He Xiaopeng responded on Weibo, China’s major social media platform, likening the fall to a child learning to walk. “After falling, they steady themselves, and the next step is to start running and keep running,” he wrote, emphasizing the learning process behind the technology. XPeng, best known for its electric vehicles, has been expanding into robotics and flying vehicles as competition intensifies in the mobility sector. The company operates in Asia, Europe, and is now targeting markets in the Middle East and Africa. In a late 2024 internal letter, He warned of an “elimination round” in the EV industry from 2025 to 2027, underscoring the urgency of innovation. This incident is not isolated. In April of last year, several humanoid robots stumbled during a half-marathon in Beijing, competing against human runners. More recently, a Unitree humanoid robot accidentally kicked an engineer in the groin during a test in China, highlighting the challenges still facing the field. On Chinese social media, the fall sparked a mix of reactions. The RedNote topic “XPeng robot fell at its debut and was carried away” had amassed nearly 10 million views by Monday. Some users questioned the company’s ambition beyond electric cars, with one mocking the robot’s inability to recover independently: “So what if you fall? Can’t you get up by yourself?” Others found humor in the moment. One user wrote, “The fall was so real, just like me almost slipping while rushing for my 8 a.m. class.” Another joked, “The robot is saying: Can’t I take a break when I’m tired of walking?”