Chinese robotics company Agibot deployed its A2 humanoid robot at The Mark Hotel in New York on May 5, ahead of the 2026 Met Gala, in a collaboration with fashion designer Alexander Wang. The appearance marked the first time an embodied AI robot has attended a Met Gala pre-event, drawing significant attention from media, photographers, and bystanders gathered outside the hotel – a traditional staging ground for celebrity arrivals before the evening’s main event.
The A2 robot posed for photographers, changed posture on request, held items, and served drinks to guests – a set of tasks that demonstrated real-world manipulation and crowd navigation capability in one of the more operationally unpredictable environments a humanoid robot has been deployed in publicly. At one point the robot became briefly stuck exiting an elevator and required assistance from handlers before continuing. The moment was captured on video and circulated widely on social media alongside footage of the robot’s red carpet posing.
A2’s Operational Profile
The A2 is Agibot’s full-size humanoid platform, built with human-like proportions and bipedal locomotion designed for stability in crowded, uncontrolled environments. Its perception and decision-making systems allowed it to navigate the dense scene outside The Mark – cameras, crowds, and continuous movement – without significant incident beyond the elevator delay. The drink-serving and object-handling tasks performed during the event reflect the same dexterous manipulation capabilities Agibot has been demonstrating in its industrial deployments at Longcheer Technology’s electronics manufacturing facility.
Technology Meets Fashion
The collaboration with Alexander Wang aligned with the Met Gala’s 2026 theme of “Fashion is Art”. For Agibot, the appearance served a dual purpose: demonstrating the A2’s capability in a chaotic, high-visibility public environment, and positioning embodied AI as a presence in cultural spaces beyond its established industrial context.
The Met Gala deployment is the latest in a series of public-facing appearances by Chinese humanoid robots – from the Beijing half-marathon to the Spring Festival gala – that serve as demonstration platforms in front of large audiences. The A2’s appearance at one of the most globally watched fashion events of the year extends that pattern into Western cultural territory, with the added dimension of a commercial fashion partnership providing the access and framing.
Agibot has previously stated its ambition to expand embodied AI deployment from manufacturing and logistics into service and consumer environments. The Met Gala appearance, whatever its promotional character, put the A2 in a setting that tested navigation, interaction, and object handling in conditions no factory floor replicates.
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