SHANGHAI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 29, 2026--
Robbyant, an embodied AI company within Ant Group, and the Arab Federation for Digital Economy (AFDE) today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance the deployment, localization and commercialization of embodied AI and robotic solutions in the United Arab Emirates and the wider GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) and Middle East markets.
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The agreement was signed by Dr. Ayman Ghoneim, Assistant Secretary-General of AFDE, and Yu Liang, Head of Commercialization at Robbyant. The partnership establishes a structured mechanism to jointly advance embodied AI adoption across the Middle East, with collaboration spanning five strategic pillars.
AFDE selected Robbyant based on its full-stack technological capabilities native to embodied AI. In July 2026, Robbyant announced the release of the LingBot 2.0 series, a comprehensive model suite comprising LingBot-Depth 2.0, LingBot-Vision, LingBot-VLA 2.0, LingBot-World 2.0, LingBot-Video, and LingBot-VA 2.0. This series forms a complete, embodied-native “universal brain” that powers robotic perception, world simulation, and action. Notably, Robbyant’s LingBot-VLA 2.0 foundation model has achieved pre-training support for 20 distinct robotic embodiments across 17 hardware brands, demonstrating a strong engineering focus on generalization and multi-embodiment compatibility.
The company is also preparing to launch its proprietary cloud-based model toolchain platform, designed to better support model development, evaluation, and deployment for embodied AI applications.
Robbyant’s solutions are already being deployed in real-world commercial scenarios, including pharmacies, logistics facilities, and industrial machine tending. For instance, in collaboration with Guo Da Drugstore, the company has launched a “Smart Pharmacy” robotics solution powered by the LingBot 2.0 models. This deployment has significantly improved operational efficiency, particularly during peak hours and overnight shifts.
About Robbyant
Robbyant is an embodied intelligence company within Ant Group, dedicated to advancing embodied intelligence through cutting-edge software and hardware technologies. Robbyant independently develops foundational large models for embodied AI and actively explores next-generation intelligent devices, aiming to create robotic companions and caregivers that truly understand and enhance people’s everyday lives and deliver reliable intelligent services across key use cases, such as elderly care, medical assistance, and household tasks.
To learn more about Robbyant, please visit: www.robbyant.com
Robbyant's medication dispensing robotics solution deployed at Guo Da Drugstore in Shanghai
Dr. Ayman Ghoneim and Yu Liang sign the MoU on behalf of AFDE and Robbyant
NEW YORK (AP) — Megan Moroney,Teddy Swims, Queen Latifah, Keke Palmer, Jimmy Fallon & The Roots and JoJo will help celebrate the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this year, a lineup that includes a record-breaking, very appropriate 100 inflatables in the sky, including Bluey, Mickey Mouse and Hello Kitty.
The parade will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day in all time zones and will feature a tribute to Dolly Parton led by Megan Hilty, and special appearances by Melissa Joan Hart, Jack McBrayer, Janet McTeer, Holly Robinson Peete and Rodney Peete, all leading the way for Santa Claus.
Performances will also include EJAE, Indigo Girls, Natalie Merchant, Baha Men, Natasha Bedingfield, Blues Traveler, DEVO, Feid, Mckenna Grace, Icona Pop, Il Volo, Wyclef Jean, Jamie Miller, Ryan Peter Murphy, Leslie Odom Jr., Anthony Ramos, RIIZE and Smash Mouth.
The familiar TV hosts — Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker from the “Today” show — will return on NBC and Peacock. A Spanish-language simulcast on Telemundo will be hosted by the network’s Andrea Meza, Aleyda Ortiz and Clovis Nienow.
“For our 100th parade, we’re creating a celebration of unprecedented scale and will deliver an unforgettable Thanksgiving for millions across the country,” said Sharon Otterman, Macy’s chief marketing officer, in a statement.
New balloons and inflatable elements include Bluey, Buckaroo Bob the Minion, Earl the Squirrel, Hello Kitty Big Apple, Joe Cool & Woodstock from “Peanuts,” Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey, Underdog and a new balloonicle, Fuzzyeti’s Fur Wheel Drive by Levi’s. Macy’s Studios also created Billie Brightpaw for the centennial lineup, described as a cheerful and curious bear.
New floats in the 2026 parade lineup include Dashing All the Way with DoorDash; Hogwarts Holiday with HBO; Mr. Peanut Power Plant with Planters; Purina Dog Chow Salute to Service Dogs with Purina Dog Chow; Road Trip to Parade with GEICO; and Macy’s Tony Sarg’s Amazing Marionettes.
There also will be iconic characters from past parades, including Angry Birds’ Red, Arthur, Bugs Bunny, Bullwinkle J. Moose, Curious George, Adventure Time’s Finn & Jake, Jimmy Neutron, Popeye & Olive Oyl & Swee’Pea, Pink Panther, Poppy from “Trolls,” Scooby-Doo, Sonic the Hedgehog, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Wild Thing.
“Few holiday traditions capture the excitement of Thanksgiving morning quite like Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” said Jen Neal, executive vice president at NBC & Peacock, in a statement.
The parade will be preceded by a new documentary, “America’s Parade: 100 Years of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” set to air Nov. 20 on NBC and begin streaming the next day on Peacock. The film will be “celebrating the people, artistry and imagination behind the tradition,” blending archival moments with a look at preparations for the milestone march. It will include interviews with previous performers like Billy Porter and Andrew Rannells.
This year’s marching bands will represent schools from Indiana, Tennessee, South Carolina, Hawaii, Texas, Alabama, Connecticut, Illinois, as well as the New York Police Department Marching Band and Macy’s Great American Marching Band, which represents students from all 50 states.
There will also be performances from Maria Verdeja School of the Arts, The Divine Nine Unity Step Team, Native Pride Productions, Spirit of America Cheer and Spirit of America Dance.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade made its debut in 1924 and has become an annual tradition and hallmark of the holiday season, with the exception of a three-year break during World War II.
This combination of images shows, from left, Megan Moroney, Keke Palmer, Queen Latifah, and Teddy Swims. (AP Photo)
