Move over Tesla bots, the robots are already among us! A bizarre video of a humanoid robot sprinting across a Dubai street has sent social media into meltdown, with netizens reacting with a mix of awe, confusion, and some serious sci-fi panic.

The clip, filmed from inside a car, shows the two-legged bot briskly crossing the road with a human (presumably its handler) trailing closely behind, as if this were just another day in the Emirates.

The video was originally posted by Instagram user @nazish8 with the caption, “Welcome to the future”. And just like that, the footage exploded across Instagram, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter)

Take a look at the video:

What netizens said

Reactions poured in, ranging from futuristic fascination to hilarious hot takes.

One user wrote: “Looking for a job? Where is the robot going? Can’t bear this hot weather, run baby run. Dubai never fails to amaze me.”

 Comments started pouring in after a robot was spotted running across a Dubai street in a viral video.

“ Dubai’s future is here. Robot sprinting streets, sci-fi vibes,” wrote another user.

But wait, what even is a humanoid robot?

According to tech giant Nvidia, humanoid robots are “general-purpose, bipedal robots” built to mimic humans, from how they walk to how they work. Think factory floors, delivery tasks, and maybe one day, babysitting?

These robots are designed to lift, carry, grasp, and assist, not cause traffic confusion.

But that didn’t stop users from speculating wildly. Some even wondered aloud if this was a prank, a promo, or the start of Skynet.