Toyota unveils “CUE7,” latest AI basketball robot in Guinness World Record-holding series

Toyota Motor Corporation unveiled its AI basketball robot “CUE7” on April 12 during an Alvark Tokyo’s game. Since the original CUE was unveiled in 2018, CUE series has undergone successive upgrades and has set two Guinness World Records. The latest one, CUE7, features significantly improved mobility, shooting, and dribbling movements that more closely resemble those of a human basketball player. CUE7 is scheduled to make its second public appearance at ROBOT TECHNOLOGY JAPAN 2026, an industrial robot exhibition opening on June 11 this year.

Visual design, hardware, and software have all been overhauled

Prior to its public debut, CUE7 drew attention on March 26 when it signed a player agreement with Alvark Tokyo. The robot was then revealed to the public on April 12 during halftime of the game between Alvark Tokyo and Shimane Susanoo Magic.

Stepping into the spotlight at center court, CUE7 drew cheers from the crowd with its vivid red exterior and sleek design. Balancing on a two-wheel self-balancing structure, the robot moved across the court to engage the audience, then dribbled in place before attempting a free throw. Its running motion — leaning into turns — and the wrist motion during dribbling were strikingly reminiscent of a human player. The free-throw motion, lifting the ball from chest height and releasing it, was remarkably smooth, with a smooth follow-through. The shot from the free-throw line went in on the first attempt. A subsequent three-point attempt unfortunately bounced off the rim, further highlighting its human-like movement.

Compared to CUE6, CUE7’s weight has been reduced significantly, from 120 kg to 74 kg, resulting in significantly improved mobility. Smaller motors have also extended operating time. It combines reinforcement learning with model predictive control for the control system. Reinforcement learning may lead unstable movements and unexpected behavior, so it has been paired with the model predictive control used in previous models. For example, basic movement paths are planned using model predictive control, while complex operations such as balance adjustment are handled by reinforcement learning. This hybrid approach enables both safety and high performance.

Greater versatility compared to previous models

The previous-generation CUE6 could make the three-point shot that CUE7 missed. The Guinness World Record set by CUE6 in September 2024 was a shot from 24.55 meters, made from the opposite end of the court. Earlier, in May 2019, CUE3 set a Guinness World Record with 2,020 consecutive free throws (with assistance) — “the most basketball free throws made by a humanoid robot in one minute (assisted)” — bringing the series’ total to two records.

This does not mean CUE7 is a step backward from CUE6. Rather, where CUE6 was specialized for shooting, CUE7 was developed to be a more versatile basketball robot. CUE6, for instance, used a four-wheel configuration — two wheels per side — to enhance shooting stability, but this came at the cost of mobility, as it could not lean into turns to maintain speed through corners. CUE7 instead prioritized versatility and mobility, which means its shooting accuracy is not quite at the level of CUE6.

Second public appearance at RTJ 2026

Tomohiro Nomi, Research Unit Lead at Toyota Motor Corporation’s Frontier Research Center

Tomohiro Nomi, Research Unit Lead in Toyota’s Frontier Research Center, who leads the development team, said “CUE7 was not developed as a continuation of the incremental progress made up to CUE6, but as a first step toward creating a true basketball robot.” Going forward, the team plans to use CUE7 as a base to bring each basketball movement — passing, dribbling, and more — closer to human-level play. “Right now, its capabilities are limited to dribbling and shooting from a stationary position, but we would also like to explore developing dribbling while running and catching passes,” Nomi said.

The development team after CUE7’s successful debut

CUE7’s second public appearance is planned for RTJ 2026, which opens on June 11 at Aichi Sky Expo that locates next to Chubu International Airport, Japan. The robot will perform in the “Industrial Robot Experience Zone” at RTJ 2026, and a special seminar featuring Nomi as a speaker is also planned. While the debut was an exclusive opportunity for those attending the professional basketball game, RTJ 2026 is open to the public free of charge with advance registration, meaning a broader audience will have the chance to see CUE7 in action.