Archive · 8 Nov 2025
XPENG CEO Cuts Open Humanoid Robot on Stage to Disprove 'Person in Suit' Claims
A company called XPENG showed off a new robot that looked and moved a lot like a person.
Some people saw videos and thought it was a trick, with a human inside the robot costume.
The company's boss, He Xiaopeng, first tried to show everyone the robot's insides by opening a zipper.
But people were still not convinced.
So, the next day, the company did something drastic: they used scissors to cut open the robot's leg right on stage!
They showed the metal parts, the fake muscles, and the wires underneath the robot's skin.
This proved that the robot was real and not a person in disguise.
The robot is designed to be very lifelike and is expected to go into production soon for jobs like helping in factories or taking care of people.
XPENG unveiled its second-generation humanoid robot, IRON, at its 2025 AI Day event.
Audience members and social media users accused the robot of being a human in a suit due to its realistic movements.
CEO He Xiaopeng initially attempted to debunk claims by opening a zipper on the robot to show its internal mechanisms.
When skepticism persisted, XPENG engineers cut open the robot's leg on stage to reveal its mechanical structure, bionic muscles, and bones.
The company stated the robot will go into mass production in 2026 with applications in manufacturing, elder care, and household assistance, priced around $20,000.
- Who
- Chinese electric vehicle maker XPENG and its CEO, He Xiaopeng
- What
- Unveiled and demonstrated a humanoid robot named IRON, then publicly cut open its leg to refute claims that it was a person in a suit.
- When
- Thursday and Friday at XPeng's 2025 AI Day event.
- Where
- XPeng's headquarters in Guangzhou, China.
- Why
- To rebut allegations that the robot's realistic movements were achieved by a human operator inside a costume.
Skeptics
XPENG
Authenticity of the Robot's Movements
Skeptics
Claimed the robot's fluid, natural movements, including a catwalk, were too realistic and indicative of a human operator inside a suit.
XPENG
Asserted that the robot, named IRON, possesses advanced bionic muscles, a biomimetic spine, and extensive degrees of freedom allowing for human-like motion.
Evidence Presented
Skeptics
Argued that the initial unveiling's zipper was not fully opened and that the catwalk was not demonstrated with the exposed interior, suggesting a staged deception. Some also claimed videos were AI-generated.
XPENG
Initially revealed the robot's internal components through a zipper and demonstrated cooling systems and motor sounds. Later, to further prove authenticity, a leg was cut open to show mechanical structures, bionic muscles, and bones, even while powered on.
- Robot Name
- Next-Gen IRON
- Height
- 5 feet 7 inches
- Weight
- 77 kilograms
- Key Technology
- 3 Turing AI chips, biomimetic spine, bionic muscle fibres, flexible synthetic skin
- Degrees of Freedom
- Over 82, including 22 in each hand
- AI Computing Power
- 3000 TOPS
- Projected Mass Production
- 2026
- Projected Price
- $20,000