Dubai’s unveiling of the Unitree G1 humanoid robot has quickly moved from viral spectacle to public engagement, with the machine now on display at the Museum of the Future. Visitors can interact directly with the robot, experiencing its gestures and movements firsthand in a bid to build familiarity with emerging technology.
The G1 made headlines last month when it waved to Dubai’s Ruler and jogged across a street during its debut. While the clips spread widely on social media, Dubai officials stress that the rollout goes beyond showmanship. “They are here to build familiarity, reduce fear, and create safe opportunities for the public to engage with robotics,” said Ahmad AlAttar, senior robotics engineer at Dubai Future Labs. “By encountering humanoids in a museum or public demonstration, people are invited to imagine their future roles in malls, airports, and eventually homes — while recognising that these technologies are still in their early stages.”
Unlike industrial robots that typically operate behind factory walls, humanoids are designed for visibility. Their lifelike gestures — a wave, a nod, or a step — often trigger emotional responses ranging from curiosity to unease. “These reactions help society begin to process what it will mean to share space with intelligent machines,” AlAttar explained.
The museum exhibition is part of a broader effort to integrate humanoids into education and research. According to distributor Ednex, more than 100 Unitree robots have been sold to UAE universities, where they are used to study human-robot interaction. The G1 itself is fitted with LiDAR, depth cameras, microphones, and speakers, enabling it to navigate its environment and respond to people. It runs for up to four hours on a single charge, and its modular hands can be adapted for different tasks.
Priced at around $16,000, the G1 remains largely an institutional tool, but Unitree plans to launch a consumer-focused R1 model later this year at $6,000, raising the possibility of humanoids entering homes and workplaces in the near future.
Dubai officials say these public demonstrations are a deliberate step in shaping how society adapts to intelligent machines. “By bringing these technologies into visible public spaces, Dubai is shaping the cultural conversation around robotics: how they are perceived, how people interact with them, and what values should guide their integration,” AlAttar said.
At the Museum of the Future, the robot is more than an exhibit; it is a cultural touchpoint. For many visitors, the experience sparks questions about what life alongside robots could look like in the decades ahead. “This is less about the mechanics of humanoids and more about their impact on society,” AlAttar noted. “Dubai is choosing to lead that conversation on the world stage.”
