--- title: "Google DeepMind Partner Posts Video of Fake Humanoid Robot" description: "A small AI company — recently selected as a partner with Google DeepMind's Robotics Program in Europe — showed off a video with a fake robot." date: "2026-06-10" modified: "2026-06-10" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/robots-and-machines/google-deepmind-partner-video-fake-humanoid-robot" categories: - "Robotics" - "Robots and Machines" --- # Google DeepMind Partner Posts Video of Fake Humanoid Robot ![Screenshot from a video posted by Qualia featuring a humanoid robot-like figure turning a light off.]() *Qualia via X* ## Bot What It Seems In August 2021, Elon Musk's Tesla held a flashy event announcing its plans to build a humanoid robot. The so-called Tesla Bot, a product that's since been renamed Optimus, [danced onto the stage](), pulling off some awkward moves. In reality, the EV maker wasn't even remotely ready to show off a fully-fledged android. Instead, Tesla had [sent out an actor wearing a black and white bodysuit](), a cringey gaffe that had investors asking some hard questions. (Five years on, Tesla is still struggling to launch a production-ready version of the bot.) Now, a small robotics software company — recently selected as a partner with Google DeepMind's Robotics Program in Europe — has seemingly attempted to pull off a similar stunt. A [slick promotional video]() the firm posted on social media on Tuesday shows a sleek humanoid robot walking into a minimalist, wood-paneled kitchen to wash up some dishes. Its movements are astonishingly lifelike — so much so, in fact, that critics immediately started wondering whether it was a real robot moving in the physical world or some type of AI generation or other trickery. https://twitter.com/QualiaRobotics/status/2064439568158351684 "We train embodied models that put a robot on a real manual task and make it work, on the floor, not in a demo," the company wrote in the caption. The clip triggered plenty of confusion, eventually leading to Qualia founder Fabian Kerj admitting it was all an illusion. "Is this a real collab and if so what is it?" one puzzled user [tweeted](). "The humanoid is not a real robot," Kerj [responded](). "We build training \[infrastructure\] — not hardware." "Got your attention tho," he added, along with a grinning emoji. The reaction online was harsh. "Isn't that, like, misleading?" a Reddit user [wondered](). "I blame Elon Musk for starting this nonsense," another user [added](). The ensuing confusion and outrage appears to have come to Qualia's attention. In a brief follow-up tweet, the company [further clarified]() that "we are not building hardware. Yet." In short, it's a questionable approach to marketing, especially considering the company doesn't even build robots. In an industry rife with exaggerated claims and misleading demos, it's not exactly a good look. *Futurism* has reached out to both Google DeepMind and Qualia for clarification. **More on humanoid robots:** [*Robot in Clown Wig Roundhouse Kicks Small Child*]() ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()