On a crowded CNBC set this week, a slim, black-metal humanoid named KOID was asked the question everyone in tech has been arguing about all year: Is artificial intelligence a bubble waiting to pop? The robot paused, its glowing circular face fixed forward, and delivered the kind of answer that could’ve come straight from a seasoned market analyst.
Lots of excitement, sure. Bubble? Maybe. Maybe not. Time will tell.
Coming from a machine powered by Nvidia chips and built by one of China’s fastest-rising robotics firms, the moment felt symbolic. Even the robots are hedging.
Meet KOID, the robot with market opinions
KOID isn’t a sci-fi prop or a research lab prototype hidden behind glass. It’s a real, purchasable humanoid robot manufactured by Unitree, a Chinese robotics company that’s been quietly leapfrogging competitors.
At roughly 77 pounds, KOID belongs to Unitree’s G1 lineup. These humanoids have 23 degrees of freedom, meaning 23 independently movable joints. In plain English, that’s enough flexibility for dancing, shadowboxing, walking smoothly, and performing complex full-body motions that used to look painfully stiff on earlier robots.
Its face is a glowing ring of light. Its body is matte black metal. No fake skin, no attempt to pass as human. It looks like a robot, and it seems perfectly comfortable with that.
KOID also shares its name with a new ETF launched in June by KraneShares. The KOID ETF focuses on global robotics and AI-related companies, a reminder that Wall Street has wrapped this entire sector into neat ticker symbols, ready for retail investors.
“Bubble or transformation?” — the robot hedges
Asked directly about the AI boom, KOID didn’t play hype man.
“We might see a lot of excitement around AI right now, but whether it’s a bubble or just a transformative wave, is something only time will tell,” the robot told CNBC.
That’s about as measured as it gets. No “this changes everything tomorrow” nonsense. No doom-and-gloom either. Just a steady, almost boring realism — which, frankly, markets could use more of.
KOID did add one thing with confidence: AI-powered humanoids are here to stay.
According to the machine, robots will become more versatile, more integrated, and increasingly useful across daily life, from homes to factories. That’s not a prediction pulled from vibes alone. It’s backed by serious capital, real products, and accelerating deployment, especially in Asia.
How much does a humanoid robot actually cost?
Here’s where things get real for consumers and businesses wondering whether humanoids are still science projects or actual tools.
KOID is available through RoboStore, the largest U.S. distributor of Unitree robots. Pricing depends on configuration and capability.
| Model Type | Price Range (USD) | Intended Use |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level G1 | ~$8,990 | Education, experimentation |
| Advanced G1 variants | $30,000–$70,000 | R&D, demonstrations |
| High-end humanoids | Up to $128,900 | Commercial, industrial trials |
That’s expensive, yes, but no longer absurdly so. These prices are starting to look like enterprise equipment rather than moonshot prototypes.
The industry is still figuring itself out
Despite the buzz, RoboStore CEO Teddy Haggerty is blunt about where things stand.
Speaking on CNBC’s “Power Lunch,” Haggerty said the robotics industry is still firmly in a prototyping phase. The hardware exists. The intelligence is improving. But the killer use cases? Still fuzzy.
“What is it that we really want robots to do?” he asked. “Do we want robots to become our new housekeepers? Do we want them to help manufacturing? Do we want them to replace jobs?”
That question hangs over the entire sector. The technology is moving faster than society’s comfort level — and faster than regulation, too. Agencies like the U.S. Department of Commerce and standards bodies such as NIST have only recently begun outlining AI governance frameworks, and humanoid robots add a physical, safety-critical layer on top of that complexity.
China is moving faster — and that matters
While U.S. companies dominate AI software headlines, China has been sprinting ahead in humanoid hardware.
Unitree has been outperforming peers at global showcases like the World Robot Conference and the World Humanoid Robot Games. These aren’t just flashy demos. They’re proving grounds for balance, dexterity, and real-world movement — areas where humanoids either shine or embarrass themselves.
Meanwhile, Tesla’s Optimus robots continue to dominate headlines without hitting the market. Elon Musk has repeatedly claimed Optimus could one day be worth more than Tesla’s car business, but so far, it remains a promise rather than a product.
Unitree, by contrast, is shipping.
The company is reportedly heading toward an initial public offering that could value it as high as $7 billion. Earlier this year, it unveiled its latest H2 humanoid model, signaling a push toward more advanced, production-ready machines.
For investors tracking robotics exposure — through ETFs like KOID or direct equities — that geographic shift is impossible to ignore. Manufacturing speed, supply chains, and cost discipline are becoming just as important as AI models.
Is this really an AI bubble?
That’s the trillion-dollar question, and the honest answer is unsatisfying: parts of it probably are, parts of it aren’t.
AI infrastructure spending, especially on chips and data centers, has real demand behind it. According to filings from companies like Nvidia and disclosures tracked by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, enterprise adoption continues to accelerate.
At the same time, valuations, projections, and “AI-washed” product announcements have clearly run ahead of reality in some corners of the market.
Humanoid robots sit at the intersection of both truths. They are undeniably real. They can walk, lift, balance, and interact. But widespread deployment into homes and workplaces will take years, not quarters.
Even KOID seems to understand that.
A future that’s quieter — and more practical
What stood out most about KOID’s appearance wasn’t the tech. It was the tone.
No grand declarations. No hype cycle language. Just a calm acknowledgment that robots will gradually weave themselves into daily life, helping in some places, staying out of others.
“They’ll help out a variety of fields, from home assistants to industrial tasks, making life a bit easier and more efficient,” KOID said.
That’s probably how this all plays out. Not with a bang, not with a crash, but with steady integration — one warehouse, one lab, one factory floor at a time.
The AI bubble debate will rage on. Stocks will swing. ETFs will launch. Analysts will argue. And somewhere in the background, a black-metal humanoid with a glowing face will keep practicing its steps, quietly waiting for the world to catch up.
FAQs
Q. Is KOID an actual consumer robot or just a demo unit?
KOID is commercially available through RoboStore, though it’s primarily aimed at research, education, and early commercial use rather than mass consumer households.
Q. Who makes KOID?
KOID is manufactured by Unitree, a Chinese robotics company known for advanced quadruped and humanoid robots.
Q. What does the KOID ETF invest in?
The KOID ETF by KraneShares focuses on global companies involved in robotics, automation, and AI technologies.
Q. Are humanoid robots replacing jobs right now?
Not at scale. Most deployments are experimental or limited to controlled environments like warehouses and labs.
Q. Is Unitree really planning an IPO?
Reports suggest Unitree is preparing for a potential IPO that could value the company at up to $7 billion, though no official filing has been announced yet.
