Boston Dynamics’ Spot robots rock AGT stage with “Don’t Stop Me Now” performance
Key takeaways
- Boston Dynamics showcased Spot’s precision and agility with a live dance routine on America’s Got Talent.
- The robots' ability to recover from failure mid-performance highlights the value of fault-tolerant design.
- Performing to Queen, the robots demonstrated advanced synchronization—key in automated workflows.
- The viral AGT performance proved that creative demos can boost public awareness of industrial robotics.
Robots today are multitasking powerhouses. They can handle mind-numbing repetition with laser precision, brave environments too dangerous for humans, and process mountains of data in the blink of an eye. They don’t need rest, snacks, or even motivation. But despite all that, there’s one thing that never fails to win us over: robots that dance. And no one knows that better than Boston Dynamics. The trailblazing tech company has racked up millions of views with its choreographed robot routines that are part performance, part product demo, and 100% mesmerizing. Most recently, Boston Dynamics turned heads again when a team of Spot robot dogs strutted onto the America’s Got Talent stage, proving once more that when robots dance, the world watches.
The performance began on a dimly lit stage, the row of robotic dogs barely visible—recognizable only to those familiar with the world of tech. As the first few notes of the song played through the loudspeakers, the robots began moving their gripper arms in a fluid, almost balletic motion, like conductors guiding an invisible orchestra. As the music swelled, the house lights came on, revealing five black-and-yellow bots dancing across the stage in perfect synchronization.
But not everything went according to plan. One robot appeared to suffer a bout of stage fright and collapsed quietly in the corner. Undeterred, the remaining bots carried on, prancing across the stage in time with the music. They took the performance up a notch, using their grippers to lip-sync along with Freddie Mercury, bringing personality and flair to their routine. The crowd rose to their feet, clapping in rhythm as the music pulsed through the auditorium.
The robots ended their high-energy performance with a unified bow, met by a thunderous round of applause.
They earned four resounding “yes” votes from the judges—who admitted they had never seen anything quite like it in the history of the show.
Simon Cowell: “Can I be honest with you? I actually think, I don't mean this in a cruel way,
it was weirdly better that one of them died because it showed how difficult this was.”
Sofia Vergara: “That was super exciting and great, different. I mean, we had a bad feeling when he just passed out in front of us, but then the party kept going.”
Howie Mandel: “After 20 years, how can we see something we haven't seen on this stage? This is something we have never seen on this stage.”
Mel B: “It's kind of blown my mind a little bit because I've never seen anything like this before, and I want to thank you for bringing this to the stage.”