Are humanoid robots for real?
Computerworld.com reported that “Breaking the humanoid robot delusion “Robot makers want us all to believe we’re on the brink of an autonomous humanoid robot revolution. But that’s just not true. Call it 'faith-based innovation.' A Silicon Valley company called 1X this week announced a humanoid robot that does all your housework. The robot is called NEO. The company says NEO is the world’s first consumer-ready humanoid robot for the home. It is designed to automate routine chores and offer personal help so you can spend time on other things.” The October 31, 2025 article entitled "Artificial IntelligenceEmerging Technology Robotics” (https://www.computerworld.com/article/4082113/breaking-the-humanoid-robot-delusion.html) included these comments about “The trouble with autonomous humanoid robots”:
The announcement and slick video showing NEO is smoke and mirrors. The robot can autonomously perform almost none of the feats shown in the video. (In fairness, the company doesn’t claim that it does, but wildly downplays the amount of improvement needed in the future to enable autonomous action.)
The video was created almost entirely through teleoperation. That means somebody wearing a VR headset and special equipment was actually folding laundry, putting away the dishes and carrying trash, and the robot was acting as a puppet, aping the movements of the person remotely controlling it.
If that scenario sounds familiar, then you may recall the “We, Robot” event held by Tesla a year ago to showcase cars at Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio lot. At the event, Tesla Optimus robots mingled, poured drinks, danced, and even sang “Happy Birthday” to attendees. The robots seemed to take orders, answer questions, and hand out beverages capably.
In reality, the robots were teleoperated by Tesla employees who were stationed out of sight. When people were impressed by a robot’s ability to converse, they didn’t know they were chatting with some employee.
Some technology CEOs, including Elon Musk and Bernt Børnich, practice what you might call “faith-based innovation.” They hype AI and robot capabilities that do not exist.
In the case of the NEO, 1X is already accepting money based on the promise that researchers will invent capabilities very quickly.
What do you think?