On an autumn afternoon in Vilnius's Old Town, locals and visitors alike were surprised to encounter an unusual pedestrian - a humanoid robot. Some crossed themselves, others stopped to greet it, but nearly everyone was astonished. Has science fiction arrived on the streets of Lithuania?
Representatives from Exergio, the company behind the robot, say that in the near future such machines could take on a range of mechanical tasks - from delivering medicine in hospitals to performing cleaning and security duties in commercial buildings.
"Estonia doesn't have a humanoid robot yet - so let's overtake them this time. It's a huge market, and we Lithuanians can take the lead," said Donatas Karčiauskas, the company's executive director.
From curiosity to viral sensation
The robot, named Gio, was imported from Chinese manufacturer Unitree Robotics. When it first arrived, it was, as the team put it, "just a hunk of metal". Since March, engineers in Lithuania have been developing its "thinking" and capabilities to resemble a true humanoid.
Once they realised how much attention the project was getting abroad, they decided to introduce it to the public at home.
"It was sitting in our office - and we thought, if we take it outside, it'll be a sensation. No one's seen anything like it in the Baltics or Poland," said Lukas Stankevičius, Exergio's commercial director.
"We went for a stroll down Gediminas Avenue expecting maybe 50,000 views online. Two days later, it had over two million."
Public reactions were mixed. Older residents were often startled - one even crossed herself - while younger people were more intrigued, many recognising similar robots from social media platforms such as TikTok.
"There's always a 'wow' effect," said Ignas Janukonis, head of innovation at the Icor group, which owns Exergio. "People either see opportunity or danger - but one thing's clear: robots are here. It's no longer science fiction."
From cleaning floors to hospital corridors
Exergio, which already installs AI systems in buildings to optimise energy use, says the humanoid robot is the next logical step.
"It symbolises our aim to create a new era of building management - smarter, more efficient, more adaptive," said Janukonis.
According to him, one of the areas where such robots can already be put to use is in factories. "These are very simple tasks, as artificial intelligence is still not advanced enough for them to navigate around people, make decisions, and so on," said Janukonis.
Meanwhile, Donatas Karčiauskas, director of the company developing the robot, said that humanoids are also being considered as potential household assistants - a field in which Lithuanians, he noted, take a rather distinctive approach.
"Everyone else is focused on how to look after grandma or grandpa, bring things, or take the dog for a walk. But our primary idea was to focus on the technical side - on buildings themselves. That's actually quite unique, even on a global scale," he explained.
The company's vision is for humanoids to help make commercial buildings more efficient by taking on certain tasks currently performed by people.
"There are plenty of roles - cleaning, security, reception - that could be automated," explained Karčiauskas. "Eventually, these robots could even help with maintenance, respond to temperature complaints, or check sensors."
The team also sees potential in healthcare. Robots could deliver medicines, carry samples or assist with routine logistics, freeing up medical staff for more critical work.
Fear of job loss
When Gio first appeared in public, social media buzzed with concern: would robots take human jobs?
Karčiauskas admits humanoids have one clear advantage - they can work 24 hours a day and perform multiple roles.
But Janukonis insists the goal isn't to replace humans, but to fill gaps in labour shortages.
"In some countries, people don't want to do low-skilled work; in others, there's a shortage of high-skilled labour. Robots can help bridge those gaps," he said.
He adds that fears of mass job losses are overstated. Many professions, from electricians to plumbers, will remain essential - and demand for skilled technicians may even increase.
"We'll also need people to maintain, repair and programme robots. Around this new robotic economy, a whole ecosystem of jobs will emerge," said Janukonis.
The next challenge: smarter, more affordable robots
Janukonis says that models similar to the one acquired by the Lithuanian team start at around €20,000, with the final price depending heavily on specifications.
"Our robot, since it has arms and is well-suited for software development, costs over €60,000. Once you add the additional components and the engineers' hours required to integrate everything, the total can rise to around €80,000. But in general, humanoid robots vary widely - prices range anywhere from €20,000 to €150,000," he explained.
The high cost, he noted, remains one of the key barriers to broader adoption. However, representatives from the company developing the robot believe this will change over time.
"Every innovation follows the same path - take electric cars. The first models were incredibly expensive, but now they're affordable for anyone on an average income. It'll be the same with robots. Right now, they're costly, but manufacturers will find ways to make them cheaper and more viable for businesses," said Stankevičius, Exergio's commercial director.
He predicts that within five to ten years, similar robots could cost under €20,000.
Lithuania's opportunity
While companies worldwide have mastered building robot bodies, software remains the next frontier. Exergio hopes Lithuania can become part of that global innovation wave.
"Software is where the real evolution will happen," said Stankevičius. "Soon, companies will compete over who can design the best systems for each robot model."
Karčiauskas believes future robots will run on shared platforms, much like Android phones today, where users could even download new abilities such as walking or opening doors.
"We're only on the first step of robot development," said Stankevičius. "But everything is about to change - as far as human imagination can take it."
Janukonis says that his company is still at the very beginning of robot development: "We're playing and learning -- it's a very early stage." He estimates that something truly significant could be achieved in around five years.
"We're exactly where the rest of the world is," adds D. Karčiauskas.
According to Janukonis, in Europe most of the work on developing robot software is being carried out by universities, either independently or in partnership with industry. He therefore encourages Lithuanian researchers to join this race.
Exergio is inviting universities to collaborate on developing the robot so that "when the real game begins, we'll have the technological know-how, practical experience and capability behind us."
The Future: buildings that talk back
Karčiauskas envisions a world of super-intelligent buildings - capable of predicting residents' needs, adapting to their routines, and communicating directly with them.
"Buildings will know when people arrive, when they go to lunch, when they leave. They'll talk to us - literally," he said. "If the temperature's not right, you'll just say so, and the building will adjust. It's all about creating spaces that think alongside us."
For now, Gio's stroll through Vilnius may have been just a glimpse into that future - one where technology, curiosity and a touch of human wonder meet on the city's streets.