1X's $20,000 Neo Robot Promises Home Automation But Relies on Human Remote Control

This Robot Is Ready to Fold Your Laundry. It'll Only Cost You $20K

Connor is a technology writer and editor, with a byline on multiple platforms. He has been writing for around nine years now across the web and in print too. Connor has attended the biggest tech expos, including CES, MWC, and IFA -- with contributions as a judge on panels at them. He's also been interviewed as a technology expert on TV and radio by national news outlets including France24. Connor has experience with most major platforms, though does hold a place in his heart for macOS, iOS/iPadOS, electric vehicles, and smartphone tech. Just like everyone else around here, he's a fan of gadgets of all sorts. Aside from writing, Connor is involved in the startup and venture capital scene, which puts him at the front of new and exciting tech -- he is always on the lookout for innovative products. It stands 5 feet, 6 inches tall, weighs about as much as a golden retriever and costs in the vicinity of a brand new budget car. This is Neo the humanoid robot, who's being billed as a personal assistant you can talk to and -- eventually -- rely on to take care of everyday tasks, such as loading the dishwasher or folding laundry. Neo doesn't work cheap. Its price tag: $20,000. And even then, you'll still have to help out with training this new home 'bot. If that sounds enticing, preorders are now open (for a mere $200 down). You'll be signing up as an early adopter for what Neo's maker, a California-based company called 1X, is calling a "consumer-ready humanoid." That's opposed to other humanoids under development from the likes of Tesla and Figure, which are, for the moment at least, more focused on factory environments. Neo is a whole order of magnitude different from robot vacuums like those from Roomba, Eufy and Ecovacs, and embodies a long-running sci-fi fantasy of robot maids and butlers doing chores and picking up after us. If this is the future, read on for more of what's in store. Don't miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source. The pitch from 1X is that Neo can do all manner of household chores: fold laundry, run a vacuum, tidy shelves, bring in the groceries. It can open doors and climb stairs. It can even act as a home entertainment system. Neo appears to move smoothly, with a soft, almost human-like gait, thanks to 1X's tendon-driven motor system that gives it gentle motion and impressive strength. The company says it can lift up to 154 pounds and carry 55 pounds but is quieter than a refrigerator. It's covered in soft materials and neutral colors, making it look less intimidating than metallic prototypes from other companies. The company says Neo has a 4-hour runtime, and its hands are IP68-rated, meaning they're submersible in water. It can connect via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 5G. It has a built-in LLM -- the same sort of AI technology that powers ChatGPT and Gemini -- for conversation. The primary way to control the Neo robot will be by speaking to it, just as if it were a person in your home. Still, Neo's usefulness today depends heavily on how you define useful. The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern got an up-close look at Neo at 1X's headquarters and found that, at least for now, it's largely teleoperated -- meaning a human often operates it remotely using a virtual-reality headset and controllers. "I didn't see Neo do anything autonomously, although the company did share a video of Neo opening a door on its own," Stern wrote. 1X CEO Bernt Børnich told her that Neo will do most things autonomously in 2026, though he also acknowledged that the quality "may lag at first." Part of what early adopters are signing up for is to let Neo learn from their environment so that future versions can operate more independently. That learning process raises privacy and trust questions. The robot uses a mix of visual, audio and contextual intelligence -- meaning it can see, hear and remember interactions with users throughout their homes. "If you buy this product, it is because you're OK with that social contract," Børnich told the Journal. "It's less about Neo instantly doing your chores and more about you helping Neo learn to do them safely and effectively." 1X says it's taking steps to protect your privacy: Neo listens only when it recognizes it's being addressed, and its cameras will blur out humans. You can restrict Neo from entering or viewing specific areas of your home, and the robot will never be teleoperated without owner approval, the company says. But inviting an AI-equipped humanoid to observe your home life isn't a small step. The first units will ship to customers in the US in 2026. There is a $499 monthly subscription alternative to the $20,000 full-purchase price, though that will be available at an unspecified later date. A broader international rollout is promised for 2027. Neo's got a long road ahead of it to go to live up to the expectations set by Rosie the robot in The Jetsons way back when. But this is no Hanna-Barbera cartoon. What we're seeing now is a much more tangible harbinger of change.

This $20,000 Robot Can Do Your Chores, But Has One Big Potential Privacy Pitfall

When he's not battling bugs and robots in Helldivers 2, Michael is reporting on AI, satellites, cybersecurity, PCs, and tech policy. Don't miss out on our latest stories. Add PCMag as a preferred source on Google. A Palo Alto company is taking preorders for a $20,000 humanoid home robot, but to get the most out of it, you might need to make some privacy trade-offs. On Tuesday, 1X Technologies introduced Neo, which it says is the "world's first consumer-ready humanoid robot designed to transform life at home." The company published a 10-minute video about Neo, a 66-pound robot that's supposed to run for up to 4 hours on a single charge. The machine stands at 5 feet, 6 inches, can carry up to 55 pounds, and contains cameras that let you remotely view what it sees. The machine can be controlled via a mobile app or through voice commands. This includes being programmed to handle a variety of chores, such as watering the plants, unloading the dishwasher, or tidying up the house. But it looks like the robot's AI intelligence still needs work. For more complicated tasks the machine hasn't been trained in, 1X built an "expert mode" for Neo that involves a company employee "supervising" the session while the robot works. This means a 1X employee in the US will be able to see inside your home to control the robot in expert mode, which occurs through a VR headset, The Wall Street Journal reports. The obvious trade-off is privacy. But CEO Bernt Børnich says, "If you buy this product, it is because you're OK with that social contract. If we don't have your data, we can't make the product better." In an FAQ, 1X also noted that "owners have to actively schedule a time for an Expert to support with their chores and accept them into their robot using voice or mobile." The robot's "emotive ear rings" will also change color while an 1X Expert Operator is active. "Owners have full control over each session," the company adds. Still, paying a human housekeeper might be cheaper, more effective, and less invasive. The Journal reports that Neo sometimes falls over, making it a potential danger to children or pets. In a demo at the company's headquarters, the Journal also "didn't see Neo do anything autonomously, although the company did share a video of Neo opening a door on its own." 1X Technologies is also offering the bot at $499 per month as a subscription. The company expects to kick off US deliveries sometime next year before expanding to other markets in 2027.

1X Neo is a $20,000 home robot that will learn chores via teleoperation

California-based AI and robotics company 1X is now accepting pre-orders for its humanoid robot NEO, which was designed to automate everyday chores and to offer personalized assistance. Users will be able to control NEO and have it accomplish tasks around the house with the click of a button or a verbal command. It will come with the ability to do basic tasks autonomously when it starts shipping next year, including opening doors, fetching items and turning the lights on or off. However, if early adopters want NEO to be capable of more specific or complex tasks, they'd have to be comfortable with the idea of a human teleoperator controlling the robot remotely and seeing inside their homes. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern, 1X CEO Bernt Børnich explained that the AI neural network running the machine still needs to learn from more real-world experiences. Børnich said that anybody who buys NEO for delivery next year will have to agree that a human operator will be seeing inside their houses through the robot's camera. It's necessary to be able to teach the machines and gather training data so it can eventually perform tasks autonomously. "If we don't have your data, we can't make the product better," he said. Børnich admitted that much of the work will be done by teleoperators in the beginning. Owners will have access to an app where they can schedule when the teleoperator can take over NEO and where they can specify the task they want the machine to do. He said 1X is putting control in the hands of the owner to respect people's privacy as much as possible. The company can blur people so that the remote operator doesn't see them, and owners can designate no-go zones in their homes that the operator cannot go to. Teleoperators also cannot take control of NEO without the owner's approval. 1X NEO is available in tan, gray and dark brown. It's now available for pre-order from the company's website with a deposit of $200. Those who want early access to it can get it for $20,000, but it will also be available as a subscription service of $499 a month.

1X's first robot housekeeper is available to pre-order in the US

With its soft body and machine-washable fabric exterior, the Neo looks mostly harmless After about a decade in the works, Palo Alto-based robotics company 1X is nearly ready with its Neo humanoid, which is designed to help you with housework and other tasks around the home. It'll ship sometime next year, and you can either pre-order one to purchase it outright, or pay a monthly subscription fee. We got a good look at the beta version of the Neo last September; in February of this year, a more refined version appeared in a demo video carrying laundry and serving coffee. It's being billed as capable of moving around the house (including climbing stairs) and handling a number of chores autonomously; it can also see things and answer questions with the context of who and what's in your home, fetch items on demand, and charge itself when it's low on power. 1X's marketing team has certainly had its work cut out for it in having to make this look totally normal. Here, check out the indie band music video-like promo below, which depicts the Neo giving families a hand around the house: The overarching idea behind this robot housekeeper, according to 1X, is to give families more time to do what matters most to them. While it will be able to autonomously tackle a range of chores out of the box when it ships next year, it'll continually learn to adapt to your needs and take on more diverse tasks with software updates over time. You'll be able to schedule a list of chores from a companion app on your phone, or simply tell Neo what needs doing around the house. Your commands can be specific, like 'empty the dishwasher' and 'get the door' (don't forget to alert your guests about the presence of a robot first), or more general, like 'organize the entryway' and 'clean my bedroom.' It's worth noting that initially, Neo's handiwork won't be perfect. The company's solution to that is operating your Neo remotely in 'Expert Mode,' in which someone from the company - a human - will oversee the robot and guide it through the task at hand until it's completed, helping the robot learn the steps involved as it goes. That means someone will have a view into your home through your robot's eyes. I did not expect to type that out today. 1X says that if you're buying a Neo - especially one of the first few units - you've got to be open to the company capturing all kinds of data through the robot for the purposes of improving its capabilities. That will be on your terms, in the sense that people in the Neo's field of view will be blurred in its camera feed, and it will not venture into any no-go zones you set around your home. Still, that means it won't be for everyone across the spectrum of privacy concerns at launch. So what's this humanoid companion made of? The Neo stands 5.5 ft (167 cm) tall, weighs 66 lb (30 kg), and operates for 4 hours before needs to recharge itself. It's got four mics, three speakers, and two 8-megapixel cameras to hear, speak and see. A series of high torque density motors power tendons to allow it to move, and pick up objects precisely, along with hands that are said to exhibit human-level dexterity with 22 degrees of freedom. It can lift items weighing up to 154 lb (70 kg), and carry up to 55 lb (25 kg). All this is wrapped in a soft body made of custom 3D lattice polymer structures and wrapped in machine washable fabric. There's also a whole lot of AI powering its movements, and its ability to understand what it's looking at and hearing. 1X says the Neo operates at a noise level of 22 dB, which is less than a regular refrigerator. The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern got to check out the current version of Neo, and found it wasn't yet ready for autonomously doing much of anything, really. In the WSJ's video, you can see how much it time it took to complete simple tasks, how it did not appear confident loading a dishwasher with glassware over the course of five minutes, and how it needed a teleoperator to do most things. This will all be fine-tuned before it ships - the question is to what degree. My position on humanoids in the home will evolve as the technologies powering them advance. At the moment, I've got the usual list of concerns on my mind about products like the Neo - will it go rogue, and might it malfunction due to server outages or bugs? More importantly, 1X doesn't talk about how it will protect owners from having their robots hacked into or how it'll keep their data private. I understand that at this point, companies with AI-enabled tech like to make promises of infinite possibilities with their products. But I prefer the certainty of devices with limitations: I like knowing exactly what my washing machine and microwave can do, and what they can't. I'd like the makers of the things I use around the house daily to be intentional and precise about building those functions, rather than enabling a wider variety of capabilities that can't all be executed consistently and reliably. That's my rant. If you're in the US, you can pre-order the Neo by putting down a US$200 deposit. You can opt to pony up $20,000 to buy your Neo, or sign up for a $499 monthly subscription. It's available in Tan, Gray, and Dark Brown colorways. The robot will come to other markets starting 2027.

The Neo Home Robot that's breaking the internet promises to change the world -- but there's one huge problem

You may have seen this cuddly/slightly creepy humanoid Robot yesterday, as the Neo Home Robot went viral across the internet. In fact, my fiancée sent it to me saying we have to get one! Well, as we seem to get closer to a home robot buddy reality, there's also a cautionary tale in here about expectations vs reality that I'm keen to get into. Because for $20,000, you can buy a dream: a full-fledged humanoid housekeeper. But the dream is nowhere near as it seems. On paper, Neo should be an earth-shaking announcement. A humanoid robot that you can buy to automate everyday chores and assist you. That's massive for people with mobility issues or visions of a Jetsons-esque future, and it's coming in 2026 for either $20,000 up front or $500/month. Pre-order now with a $200 refundable deposit and you're off to the races. It's a 5ft 6-inch humanoid weighing in at 66 pounds with better drip than I could possibly pull off with that turtleneck, and a softer, less creepy-looking aesthetic based around using fabrics. To see, its eyes are cameras, and to hear, there are four microphones with three speakers to talk. And to get stuff done, there's a custom AI "vision-language transformer" powered by Nvidia silicon named Redwood. According to 1X, this model is "tailored for the humanoid form factor and capable of performing end-to-end mobile manipulation tasks like retrieving objects for users, opening doors, and navigating around the home." But there's a big catch here, and it's the question that hit the likes of the Humane AI Pin and Rabbit R1 hard at launch too. There is a huge gap between what we are seeing now and what the company is promising. Credit to 1X's Founder Bernt Børnich, as he's been candid about this in his comments, which comes at odds with the marketed promises of a "consumer-ready humanoid robot." In the promo video, you get the impression of automation -- a robot doing tasks around the house like tidying up and turning off the lights. In reality, as we've seen in a hands-on test with The Wall Street Journal, if the robot launches next year, you must accept human teleoperation. Remote control, essentially. This is called "Expert Mode," and it's a human controlling the robot with a VR headset. This "human-in-the-loop" is an essential bridge to autonomy, to help collect more real-world data. And it's understandable why, because for that Redwood AI to work, there needs to be a massive amount of training data, which is gathered by doing this. But that does also bring up some rather alarming privacy concerns. Namely, the intrusive real-time view a remote human operator has through those dual 8MP cameras, the vast amounts of data being collected to train the AI model, and the possible risk of bad actors gaining unauthorized access. 1X has responded to these concerns in several ways, such as required user consent for remote control, visual indicators (those light rings around the ear area) to show when a human is in control, and claims it can blur people in the video feed. But there's still more questions than answers. In Joanna Stern's video, 100% of the work being done was completely teleoperated through Expert Mode, and if you look a little closer at that promo video, there are specifically two things that 1X is careful to claim are autonomous: answering the door and taking a cup away. With that in mind, it's fair of anyone to assume that everything else is remote controlled -- making for a massive space between what it can do today, and the promise of what it can hopefully do in the future. Same as what we saw with the Humane AI Pin being touted as the post-smartphone device, and with Rabbit R1's initial promises of agentic AI. I appreciate the CEO's candor on this, but more and more, the idea of pre-ordering has been stretched beyond recognition -- selling the dream rather than the actual thing. In the past (and I'm talking the 2000s and early 2010s), the expectations set to pre-orderers were pretty bang-on with the reality of what you've received. The thing you bought had to be ready when it shipped because of limitations on widespread internet connectivity and digital distribution. But now, pre-orders don't serve fans, they serve the cashflow that companies need, and it's becoming more common that a "launch now, fix later" culture has become a crutch rather than a flexible "nice to have." Pre-ordering is (mostly) a risk you take on behalf of the company -- similar in nature to backing a business on Kickstarter to launch something. And while I know a lot of us will not have a cool $20,000 to drop on a robot (this is definitely one for the very early adopters), this teaches a valuable lesson. Just like we don't review any products based on the promise of things to come, you shouldn't order one based on that same promise either. Wait for the launch and wait for reviews.

You can pre-order this charming Neo Home Robot today to do all your chores, but there's a big catch

The dream or nightmare of a humanoid home robot is inching closer to reality. 1X Neo Home robot, a cleaning, dancing, listening, talking, and potentially helpful home assistant, is now on preorder, ready to march into your home and even plug itself into a wall outlet when necessary. A little more than a year after unveiling the Neo Beta, and nine months after introducing the Neo Gamma, 1X introduced its Neo Home Robot. Visually, Neo has come a long way - from the slightly creepy, maybe too grabby Neo Beta (they showed it with a gangly arm draped over a female companion) - to the Neo Home robot, a soft-fabric-covered, gentle-faced (though mouthless), 5ft, 6-inch, 66lb automaton. It wears soft, stylish sneakers that might be at home on the feet of any All Birds sneaker fan. On the head are a pair of circular LED lights that help signify the robot's intention. But it could also do that by talking to you. According to 1X and the launch video, Neo Home Robot can hear via its four on-board microphones and talk through its three speakers. It's running a custom Redwood AI that's powered by Nvidia silicon. According to 1X, Redwood AI is "a vision-language transformer tailored for the humanoid form factor and capable of performing end-to-end mobile manipulation tasks like retrieving objects for users, opening doors, and navigating around the home." Put another way, it's an AI algorithm custom-built for the home. As depicted in the video, Neo Home robot can accomplish various home maintenance tasks or chores. It's shown doing laundry, emptying the dishwasher, and vacuuming floors. There are things it cannot do, like mow the lawn; the robot is not intended for outdoor use. It can't cook (yet). The rubberized, articulated hands are waterproof, but the rest of the washable, fabric-covered body is not. In the FAQ, 1X jokes, "Should your NEO get wet, an automatic order will be placed for a child-sized plastic swimming pool and 100 kgs of Basmati rice*. * Not really, but please don't get NEO wet." Very clever, 1X. But the robot, which is set to arrive in homes in 2026, costs some serious money. You can pay $20,000 outright or sign up for a $499-a-month subscription fee. That's not a payment plan. You simply pay until you want to return the robot. The California-based 1X promises autonomous operation, using AI to analyze its environment and engage in conversations that include, in one launch video scene, helping you find your lost glasses (they're hanging from your shirt, of course!). However, for all those household chores, you'll be using the app. "For scheduled or recurring tasks, users can use the 1X mobile app to plan Neo's household chores," notes the FAQ. Neo connects to the internet via 5G or Wi-Fi, though 1X recommends Wi-Fi. Not every chore or task is covered, and for new ones, you might need 1X's assistance. The company can, on request, let an X1 employee tap into your Neo Home robot and guide it through the task, basically training it for the next time (they promise not to save any of the personal data collected during the training process). At least it can handle stairs, though, 1X only mentions walking up stairs and not down. I wonder if you'll have to carry it back to ground level. The robot is expected to run four hours on a charge, and when power gets low, it can walk over to a standard wall outlet and plug itself in (if only we could do the same). As for safety, 1X depicts the robot interacting and dancing with its owners, but I noticed that there are no longer videos of it touching humans. "Safety has guided every step of NEO's design to ensure it can operate amongst humans," writes 1X in the FAQ. "This includes a host of passive and active safety features. NEO should be used only as intended. Users should remain attentive during operation and must always follow product safety instructions and guidelines when operating NEO, especially when in the presence of children, vulnerable people or pets." Aside from the warnings about children and pets, the comments about remaining attentive during operation are notable because the video clearly touts you leaving your home during Neo Home Robot's cleaning activities. It's not clear what happens if the robot gets stuck, falls, or accidentally knocks over something. The good news is that you can always connect via the app and see what Neo sees through its dual 8MP fisheye camera eyes, though I imagine watching it do the chores you've been trying to avoid might get old pretty fast. This is far from the first home chore robot we've heard about this year. A few weeks ago, Figure AI unveiled Figure 03, another home helper bot that likes to do laundry. Unlike Neo Home Robot, Figure 03 is not on the fast track to your abode., Instead, the initial Figure O3 release won't even be ready for home use. On the other hand, Figure AI may get to sit back in 2026 and watch how well or poorly Neo does in the home before releasing its own humanoid home helper.

You can now order this robot butler, but there's something you should know

1X Technologies' NEO robot can do chores around the home, but there's a trade-off. Like the idea of a humanoid robot taking care of chores around your home? Well, the dream of having a robot butler serve your needs has come a step closer after 1X Technologies announced on Tuesday that it's opened preorders for its home robot. Called NEO, the humanoid robot requires a fully refundable $200 deposit followed by a payment of $20,000 when it ships next year. Alternatively, you can pay a monthly fee of $499 to use it, with a minimum commitment of six months. The bipedal bot, which has been a decade in development, stands at 66 inches and tips the scales at 66 pounds. It incorporates four mics, three speakers, and 2 fisheye cameras. Functioning for up to four hours on a single charge, NEO can also lift up to 154 pounds and carry objects weighing up to 55 pounds. A video (top) shared by Norway-founded, California-headquartered 1X shows NEO performing a range of tasks around the home, from tidying up and vacuuming to watering plants and doing the laundry. It can also act as a companion, chatting with you in a human-like manner. It all looks very impressive, until you learn that for more complex tasks, NEO has to be operated remotely by a 1X employee, with the robot mirroring the operator's movements. Yes, it's a big trade-off, though 1X has put in place various limitations in an effort to get people onside. For example, using the accompanying app, you can make certain rooms in your home off-limits, and the system blurs out faces. The same app also lets you see what the robot sees -- useful if you're out and you want to know how it's getting on with its chores. 1X CEO Bernt Børnich says that using a remote operator in this way enables his team to train the robot's AI systems to eventually perform more challenging tasks without any remote help, so early adopters can at least feel good playing a role in helping to perfect the robot's skills. The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern spent some time with NEO, and it has to be said, the results were mixed. For example, it took NEO 67 seconds to fetch a bottle of water from a fridge 10 feet away, and closing the dishwasher door took way longer than necessary. Take note, though, the NEO that Stern saw isn't the one shipping next year, with the next version coming with various improvements that include upgraded hand dexterity. While 1X deserves respect for letting its NEO robot into regular folks' homes, it clearly still has a long way to go before it becomes a truly useful home help. But that's what the next step is all about -- finding out where it needs to improve and then helping it to improve, so that a future NEO can operate more effectively -- and independently -- around the home. While a growing number of companies are developing humanoid robots, most are focusing on incorporating them into work settings rather than the home. Robotics company Figure, however, is looking to put its humanoid robot into both the home and the workplace, with its recently unveiled Figure 03 robot also shown performing chores around the home. The U.S. company is in the early stages of testing its robotic home helper, so it could be a while before preorders open for that one.

Humanoid Hype Meets Reality: 1X's $20K NEO Home Robot Draws Skepticism, Memes - Decrypt

1X says early buyers must agree to data collection to help improve NEO's abilities. The humanoid race looked ready to enter the living room this week -- until viewers saw what 1X's $20,000 home robot can actually do. On Tuesday, the Palo Alto startup unveiled NEO -- a sleek household robot it said can fold laundry, stock dishwashers, organize shelves, and learn new chores through AI. But after The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern revealed that the robot's demo was tele-operated by humans, excitement quickly turned into doubt. "I think there's a lot of exaggerated expectations out there, and people are not appreciating that," UC Berkeley Professor of Industrial Engineering Ken Goldberg told Decrypt. "There's a lot of irrational exuberance -- the kindest way I could put it -- around some of these things. It's frustrating for us in the research field, because we feel that launching something like this is premature." Goldberg questioned whether there was any truly useful application beyond the novelty of someone saying they had a robot in their house, adding that while the idea might be appealing, it was unclear if a real market existed for it. "So that's what I worry about," he said, "because if you get a lot of hype, there could be a backlash, and people could really lose confidence in robotics altogether." The launch positioned NEO as an early glimpse of domestic AI at scale, but critics say it's another example of marketing hype -- and a prototype parading as a finished product. "This is a preorder for a humanoid home robot that will cost $20,000 or $500/month when it (maybe) ships next year, and currently is not finished," tech reviewer Marques Brownlee wrote on X. "I see this as more of a hype reel for a thing that they're hoping to be able to make someday... which is becoming SO common with products these days." NEO's debut also inspired an instant wave of memes. Many joked about the robot's household role taking an awkward turn, with several viral posts depicting "tele-operated" versions of NEO in bed with users' spouses, showing the absurdity of paying $20,000 to let a total stranger behind a VR headset wander around your house. When Stern got an in-person demo, she had the NEO attempt the same chores shown in 1x's promotional video, with occasionally hilarious results. Fetching a water bottle from a refrigerator 10 feet away took over a minute, while loading a few dishes into a dishwasher took more than five minutes. Stern also noted that the version she tested required frequent breaks to cool down and recharge. Worse, during the demo, every task was operated remotely by a human pilot wearing a VR headset. Still, Stern concluded that the robot was significant and called the demonstration meaningful, describing it as "the beginning of physical AI in our lives." "Spending the day with NEO was like spending the day with a toddler," she said, acknowledging that the learning curve for home robots was likely to be steep and long. "The next few years isn't about owning a super-useful robot. It's about raising one [and] letting it learn from your home routines and chores, all at the expense of the privacy of your inner sanctum." Not everyone was so forgiving. Those privacy fears were echoed by AI experts and on social media, where users questioned the idea of a networked robot with cameras and remote operators moving freely through private spaces. AI researcher and author Gary Marcus said the issue extends far beyond the home. "The privacy concerns will be huge," Marcus told Decrypt. "And the actual amount of productivity gained is likely to be negligible." Marcus called the pattern familiar. AI firms have long promised breakthroughs like artificial general intelligence, but instead are finding ways to monetize user data, often by turning personal information into targeted advertising. "Robot data recorded in the home may just be the next stage in the surveillance capitalism journey," he said. "Another way to gather intimate data based on overblown promises about what can actually be delivered." Attorney Marc Hoag also flagged concerns about 1X's subscription model, calling its $499-a-month offer "probably too good to be true." In a detailed breakdown of the company's terms, Hoag noted that the $200 reservation fee doesn't lock in a final price or even confirm the payment structure. Buyers won't learn the actual subscription cost or conditions -- such as minimum term length, cancellation policy, or return process -- until they receive an official order invitation. "My wife and I actually really want to order this thing on a subscription basis if only for novelty and to try it out," Hoag wrote. "But not knowing the answers to at least some of those questions above -- especially subscription term, cancellation policy, and return procedures -- really put a pause in our otherwise spontaneous decision tree." While many of the reactions online cried foul, some industry voices urged patience. "For now, it's all remote operated, and it's still struggling a little to do basic stuff," posted AI for Humans podcast co-creator Gavin Purcell. "This isn't crapping on it -- it's just that this stuff is HARD." On Reddit, however, the mood was less forgiving. One commenter called the demo "a cold shower after the promo," noting that NEO couldn't perform a single task autonomously. "It really sounds like their AI isn't ready, but they think -- or hope -- it will be by the time they start shipping units," the user wrote. Another said early buyers should expect to act as "testers" for 1X's system, warning that safety remains a bigger obstacle than hype. "A home robot could turn on your oven, leave water running, fall on a child or a pet, pick up a knife to prepare food, and do something unexpected that results in an injury," they wrote. "The list of possible safety issues is almost endless." Even 1X acknowledges that early customers will need to be comfortable with extensive data collection. "You have to be okay with this for the product to be useful," 1X founder and CEO Bernt Børnich told the Wall Street Journal. The company said it will capture information through NEO's onboard cameras to improve performance, while blurring people in the robot's view and respecting user-defined "no-go zones." Still, that setup won't reassure everyone. "In 2026, if you buy this product, it's because you're comfortable with that social contract," Børnich said. "Without your data, we can't make the product better. I call it the 'Big Brother, Big Sister' principle -- Big Sister helps you; Big Brother monitors you. We're very much the Big Sister. The more data you share, the more useful we can be, and you decide where on that scale you want to be."

Meet the first consumer-ready humanoid robot that'll do your chores

An American company just launched what they say is the first humanoid robot that is able to do domestic chores. An American company says it has built the first consumer-ready humanoid robot that can do all sorts of home chores, such as folding laundry, organising shelves, and tidying spaces. 1X Home Robots unveiled the NEO Robot this week, which, at a click or verbal command, will become a personal housekeeper that will complete household tasks. The robot is powered by a large language model (LLM), the basis of artificial intelligence (AI) models that learns and remember what the user's preferences are and can make informed suggestions, like suggestions on what dishes to make or setting birthday reminders. Anyone who buys the NEO robot can teach it any other chores that they want done with one of 1X's employees, which will help with the necessary programming, the company said in a press release. 1X Home Robots said the NEO robot is also equipped with WiFi, Bluetooth and a "three-stage speaker," which gives owners a mobile home entertainment system. "[Our company] brings the science-fiction idea of robots from the movie screen into reality, creating space for us to enjoy our time at home, instead of coming home just to do more work," the company said. However, according to The Wall Street Journal, which tested the robot, it may need to be controlled by a human, and a company representative may need to peer into the home through the robot's eyes to do chores. The company's CEO told the newspaper that the company needs user data to improve the robot. The robot is able to use human-like hands to lift over 68 kilograms and carry 25 kilograms as it goes about its daily tasks. The NEO robot will be available first in American homes in 2026 and will expand to other markets by 2027. It costs $20,000 (€17,060) or $499/month (€425.70) through a subscription. The NEO robot launch comes shortly after a similar robot was released earlier this month by Figure AI, which launched a home robot Figure 03. However, Figure AI's model is not yet available for presale. There are other non-humanoid robots that are also being worked on, such as the SwitchBot K20+ Pro, a smart vacuum that sweeps and cleans your floors while also keeping an eye on your pets.

'I have no mouth, and I must clean': Just in time for Halloween, this $20,000 robot allows a human operator to look through its eyes for training purposes

The future of household robotics is not quite here yet, I reckon. Hey, remember that time a onesie wearing robot gave Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang a leather jacket? No? I'll remind you -- the robot in question was the Neo Gamma, a humanoid bot built by 1X Technologies for helping out around the home. Now, you can pre-order the Gamma's successor, simply called 'Neo'...for $20,000. CEO and founder of 1X Tech Bernt Bornich announced the launch of pre-orders via X on Tuesday, but the price is far from the only thing giving me pause. Slated for a 2026 release, the Neo is pitched as a humanoid robot that will be able to take care of household chores autonomously. However, it looks like the Gamma could only just about put a glass into a dishwasher, so what strides has the Neo made since? Well, it turns out this robot has much to learn; Engadget reports that the Neo will lean heavily on tele-operation at least to begin with. In other words, you're not just welcoming Neo into your home, but potentially the 1X Tech employee piloting it remotely too. The hope is that the real world experience that comes from tele-operation in early adopters' homes can be leveraged as AI training data (so yes, you'd also be welcoming a camera into your home too). When The Wall Street Journal spent the day with 1X's humanoid robot, Bernt Bornich clarified, "I think it's quite important for me to just say that, in 2026, if you buy this product, it is because you're okay with that social contract. If we don't have your data, we can't make the product better." Early adopters will be able to schedule tele-operating sessions via an app, as well as set robo-no-go zones throughout their home that the Neo will be blocked from entering at a software level. Furthermore, the company can blur out residents' so the remote Neo operator cannot see them, and teleoperators can't take control of Neo without the owner's approval. Bornich makes the company's case to The Wall Street journal, elaborating "I'm a big fan of what I call, like, big brother, big sister principle, right? Big sister helps you. Big brother is just there to kinda monitor you. And we are very much the big sister. Depending on how much you want to trade, we can be more useful. And you decide where on the scale you want to be." Personally, I think there's more than just a simple branding issue at play here. Besides the obvious privacy concerns, I'm also left wondering, if someone can afford to drop $20,000 on a product that is not necessarily feature complete, why wouldn't they then just...pay another human a living wage to clean their house? Perhaps that's naive of me -- but, having seen the tele-operated Neo visibly struggle to close a dishwasher, surely hiring another actually skilled human is better value for money? Simply put, I don't think Neo is the future of household labour -- either in how it gets done or how we value it. Bornich ultimately attempts to reassure interested customers, "When you get your Neo in 2026, it will do most of the things in your home autonomously. The quality of that work will vary, and will improve drastically quite fast as we get data." Again, there's that big tech insistence that if we just feed the AI enough data, we'll end up in that robo-maid, flying car future. I'm doubtful to say the least, especially when the cost of admittance is 'please welcome our cameras into your home'. Sure, 1X Tech will blur the faces but I'd argue my household mess remains pretty identifying.

Humanoid Race Heats Up as 1X Unveils Talking Home Robot Helper NEO - Decrypt

Rivals, including Richtech, Unitree, and Wandercraft, are pushing humanoids into factories and research labs worldwide. As robotics firms chase the dream of human-shaped helpers, Palo Alto-based 1X on Tuesday announced the launch of NEO, a household robot designed to automate daily chores and provide personalized assistance through built-in AI. The launch comes as humanoid robots move from lab demos to a fast-growing market. Analysts expect the humanoid and service-robot sectors to top nearly $400 billion within a decade, driven by advances in embodied AI and rising labor shortages. Companies including Tesla, Figure AI, and Agility Robotics are testing machines that walk factory lines and make deliveries. For 1X, the home is the next battleground, where safety, trust, and functionality will decide who wins the humanoid race. "This all started a decade ago, working really hard on making what is Neo a reality. But to me personally, this started when I was like 10 years old," 1X founder and CEO Bernt Børnich said in a video presentation. "I grew up reading these beautiful books and watching these beautiful sci-fi movies where the future was all about how we as humans, we really focus on the things that matter to us." At 66 pounds, NEO can lift 154 pounds and operate at just 22 decibels -- quieter than a refrigerator. It uses 1X's patented tendon-drive actuation system to move gently and safely around people, and features human-level dexterity with 22-degree-of-freedom hands. The robot's soft body, made from 3D-lattice polymer structures, houses built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 5G connectivity. "Neo is a humanoid companion designed to transform your life at home," 1x Vice President of Product and Design Dar Sleeper said. "It combines AI and advanced hardware to help with daily chores and bring intelligence into your everyday life. Neo is engineered from the ground up for safety. Its tendon-driven body is quiet and lightweight. Its low-energy motions make it uniquely safe for you and your home." Under the hood, NEO's onboard large language model enables it to hold conversations, recall context, and perform tasks via voice commands. It can fold laundry, organize shelves, or tidy rooms, and learn new chores over time with human guidance. "With the click of a button or a simple verbal command, NEO transforms into a personal housekeeper; tackling tasks like folding laundry, organizing shelves, and tidying spaces," 1x said. "For any chore that NEO doesn't yet know, owners can schedule a 1X Expert to guide it through unknown tasks, helping NEO learn while getting the job done." Customers can buy a NEO through a $499 monthly subscription or a one-time purchase of $20,000. Both options require a $200 deposit to reserve a unit. A crowded field NEO's debut follows a surge in humanoid development across industries. On Tuesday, Las Vegas-based Richtech Robotics unveiled Dex, a mobile humanoid robot built for manufacturing and logistics work. Built using NVIDIA's Jetson Thor platform, Dex operates for a full workday on a single charge and performs tasks ranging from machine operation to quality inspection. "Humans are great at object manipulation, and wheels are best for fast, efficient, and stable transportation," President of Richtech Matt Casella said in a statement. "So we designed Dex to travel like a machine and perform tasks like a person." Chinese manufacturer Unitree Robotics is taking a budget approach with its four-foot-tall G1 humanoid. Meanwhile, researchers at China's National University of Defense Technology and appliance maker Midea Group are teaching robots to move more like humans using a system called HumanoidExo. The wearable suit captures full-body motion and converts it into training data. In June, Paris-based Wandercraft announced that it would shift its focus from wearable exoskeletons to fully autonomous humanoid robots. "We're seeing humanoid robots everywhere: in the U.S., in China, from Tesla, from Figure AI," Wandercraft CEO Matthieu Masselin previously told Decrypt. As humanoids grow more lifelike, however, studies show that moderate realism increases trust -- but extreme human likeness can trigger discomfort, a phenomenon known as the uncanny valley. The rapid growth of the humanoid robot industry underscores just how quickly technology like NEO is moving from prototypes to products -- transforming robots from factory tools to helpers that fold our laundry. "Eventually, NEO will become fully autonomous, capable of helping you with anything around the house," Børnich said. "The NEO you get today will only get better. And as we keep shipping features, it'll be more and more useful in your everyday life."

What to know about NEO, the $20,000 humanoid robot that'll do your chores

Weighing in at about 78 pounds, humanoid robots showcased their human-like combat skills inside in the boxing ring at China's World AI Conference. Robots may be one of the greatest 21st-century inventions, but up until Tuesday, Oct. 28, you couldn't purchase one to help out with daily household tasks, such as emptying the dishwasher or vacuuming your home. Enter NEO, a humanoid robot created by 1X, an artificial intelligence and robotics company based in Palo Alto, California. The robot became available for preorder on Oct. 28 for $20,000 for those who want to own it, and $499 per month for anyone who wants to try it out through 1X's subscription option. In a YouTube video released by 1X, NEO is seen taking out the trash, watering plants and dancing. "Neo is a humanoid companion designed to transform your life at home. It combines AI and advanced hardware to help with daily chores and bring intelligence into your everyday life," said Dar Sleeper, 1X's VP of product and design. NEO specifications NEO is made of "tendon-driven actuators," so it's quiet and lightweight, according to 1X. The robot is also made of 3D Lattice Polymer, weighs 66 pounds and stands at 5 feet, 6 inches tall. NEO operates using Nvidia technology, has a four-hour battery life, can carry up to 55 pounds and lift to 154 pounds. Additionally, the robot is equipped with four microphones, three speakers and fish-eye cameras for vision. The robot also comes with a machine-washable knit suit and customizable shoes. How to use NEO? While NEO will eventually become fully autonomous, there may be a slight learning curve. Still, NEO is currently able to complete basic household tasks. Owners can schedule times for the robot to complete chores by either speaking to it or using the NEO app. The robot will be delivered to homes in a box. Once it arrives, users can open the box and turn NEO on using the power button to get started. The robot has a set of modes, including chores, companion and autonomy. The robot already knows how to perform a plethora of tasks, such as laundry and cleaning. If there is a chore the robot does not know how to do, owners can schedule a session with a 1X expert. The expert will conduct a supervised session to teach the robot how to complete the task. NEO's companion feature allows the robot to operate as an artificial intelligence assistant. It can see, hear and remember things about your environment to provide you with helpful assistance, according to 1X. NEO can also suggest what to cook by observing the contents of your refrigerator, can teach you a new language, and tell you where you last left your keys. Yet, the robot's current cooking capabilities are limited, 1X notes. The autonomy feature comes with Redwood AI, a vision-language transform that's tailored for the humanoid form factor. The AI helps NEO complete basic household tasks autonomously and on command, such as opening the door or taking groceries into the home. The robot's autonomy will progress as it completes tasks and gains experience, according to 1X. Eventually, the robot will become fully autonomous, but it may take time to reach that point as it continues to learn. NEO also comes with self-charging capabilities. Also, while NEO's hands are waterproof, the overall robot is not. Contact with moisture can damage NEO; therefore, outdoor climates should be considered when users want to use the robot outside. How much does a NEO cost? NEO can be preordered on 1X's website for $20,000 or $499 a month for subscribers. Purchasing the robot requires a $200 deposit. NEO comes in blue, beige or black. The robots are expected to be delivered in 2026. The $20,000 price tag comes with priority delivery, premium support, and ownership with a three-year warranty, according to 1X's website. Based on standard electricity rates, the company expects the robot to cost under $1 to operate. What other humanoid robots are being created? According to 1X, it is also in the process of creating industrial robots that can be deployed in factories. Other companies creating humanoid robots include Tesla and Figure AI. However, NEO is the first one to become available to consumers. Figure 03, Figure AI's humanoid robot, was unveiled earlier this month, but it's not clear when consumers will be able to purchase the product. Tesla's Optimus was unveiled as a prototype in 2022, but it's unclear when it will become available for sale. During the company's recent earnings call in July, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said Optimus Version 3 could become available in early 2026. For now, NEO is the only humanoid robot on the market ready to introduce itself to customers. Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected]

Meet NEO from 1X: The world's first humanoid home robot just went on sale - here's how to order

The future of home help has arrived. NEO, the world's first humanoid home robot, is now available for pre-order. It can walk, carry, and assist with chores. It listens to voice commands and learns your routines. Compact yet powerful, NEO lifts and carries heavy items safely. With smart AI and a mobile app, it adapts to your home life. Deliveries start in 2026 for U.S. customers. The future of home living is here with NEO, the world's first humanoid home robot designed for everyday consumers. Developed by 1X Technologies, this robot isn't just a gadget -- it's a smart, capable companion built to assist with real household tasks, making daily life easier and more efficient. From chores to human-like interactions, NEO brings a revolutionary level of convenience and intelligence into modern homes. Unlike traditional smart home devices that remain static or limited in function, NEO can walk, carry, lift, and respond to your voice. Its humanoid design allows it to move naturally and safely around your home, learning and adapting to your lifestyle. For busy professionals, families, or elderly individuals, it's more than just a helper -- it's a personal assistant that bridges the gap between artificial intelligence and real-world utility. Standing at 5 feet 6 inches and weighing around 66 pounds, NEO is compact enough to fit comfortably in a home yet strong enough to handle demanding chores. It can lift up to 154 pounds and carry loads of up to 55 pounds -- making grocery carrying, laundry folding, or house cleaning remarkably effortless. The robot's automatic charging system ensures it's always powered and ready to work without supervision. NEO is not just another robot -- it's a fully humanoid home assistant designed to perform real physical tasks. While traditional smart devices can only automate through commands, NEO combines physical capability with cognitive intelligence. It walks, lifts, carries, and even talks, all while ensuring human and pet safety through its tendon-driven soft body and collision-avoidance sensors. It can fold laundry, carry groceries, clean shelves, answer the door, and learn new household routines through a mobile app, making it a truly adaptive companion in any home. Ordering NEO is simple but requires thoughtful planning. U.S. customers can either buy the robot outright for $20,000 or subscribe to it for $499 per month. Interested buyers can visit the official 1X NEO website, choose a preferred color -- Tan, Gray, or Dark Brown -- and place a deposit to secure early access. Deliveries begin in 2026 for U.S. buyers, while international customers, including those in India, will have to wait until 2027 when global shipments are expected to begin. NEO is built to make home living smarter and less stressful by taking over repetitive and time-consuming chores. It can clean surfaces, carry heavy bags, fold laundry, and even interact with guests at the door. Using advanced AI, NEO understands voice commands and follows scheduled tasks through its companion mobile app. Its ability to learn and adapt to new tasks over time ensures it becomes more efficient and attuned to household needs, improving convenience with every use. NEO's price reflects its advanced engineering and AI-driven features. Customers can either make a one-time purchase for $20,000, ideal for long-term ownership, or opt for a $499 monthly subscription that includes updates and maintenance. While the subscription offers flexibility, long-term users may find the one-time purchase more cost-effective. International buyers should also factor in import duties, taxes, and regional support when planning their orders. Safety and privacy are central to NEO's design. Its soft body minimizes risk around people and pets, while its sensors prevent collisions. Users retain full control over the robot's operations, with "no-go zones," consent-based camera and microphone activation, and emergency stop options via app or voice. Operating quietly at just 22 decibels -- similar to a refrigerator -- NEO blends seamlessly into daily life without disruption, offering peace of mind and reliability. With its mix of strength, intelligence, and adaptability, NEO represents a new era in home automation. It's a robot that doesn't just follow commands -- it learns, assists, and interacts, bringing science fiction closer to reality. For tech enthusiasts and early adopters, NEO is more than a household device -- it's the next big step toward a smarter, more efficient, and more human-like living experience. NEO, the world's first humanoid home robot designed for consumers. Developed by 1X Technologies, this robot is not just a gadget -- it is a smart companion built to assist with everyday tasks, making life at home easier and more efficient. From chores to interactions, NEO brings a new level of convenience to modern households.NEO can walk, carry, lift, and respond to voice commands. Its humanoid design allows it to move around safely, interact naturally, and even learn new tasks. For families, busy professionals, or the elderly, NEO offers a helping hand that goes beyond what standard devices can do. The robot stands at 5 feet 6 inches and weighs around 66 pounds, making it compact enough for home use yet strong enough to handle significant tasks. With the ability to lift up to 154 pounds and carry items up to 55 pounds, NEO is capable of handling groceries, laundry, and other household chores with ease. Its autonomous charging system ensures it's always ready for action. NEO is powered by advanced artificial intelligence, combining voice recognition, vision, and mobility. It can answer questions, respond to commands, and interact with household members. Over time, it adapts to your routines, improving efficiency and convenience. The robot also comes with a mobile app, allowing users to schedule tasks and monitor performance. With the ability to lift, carry, clean, and communicate, it offers a futuristic way to manage everyday tasks. U.S. buyers can place pre-orders now, with deliveries beginning in 2026. International buyers may need to wait for global rollout. While the cost is high, the convenience and technology make it an attractive option for early adopters and tech enthusiasts. NEO marks the beginning of a new era in home automation. It's a glimpse of what the future of household assistance could look like. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)

The Neo Humanoid Robot - Real Breakthrough or Vaporware?

The humanoid robot "Neo" has been introduced as a premium household assistant, marketed as an innovative solution to simplify daily life through advanced artificial intelligence (AI). Promising to handle tasks such as folding laundry, washing dishes, and vacuuming, Neo is positioned as a tool for individuals with mobility challenges or those seeking convenience. However, a closer examination by Marques Brownlee reveals a significant gap between its advertised capabilities and its real-world performance. This disparity raises important ethical and practical concerns about the development, marketing, and accessibility of such AI-driven products. We get to find out more details in the video from Marques below. Neo is designed to be a futuristic companion for modern households, blending advanced robotics with AI to perform a variety of tasks. Standing at 5'6'' and equipped with a 4-hour battery life, self-charging capabilities, and the ability to navigate home environments, Neo is presented as a innovative solution. Its advertised functions include: The robot is offered at a steep price of $20,000 or through a $500 monthly subscription plan, emphasizing its exclusivity and advanced features. Developers highlight its potential to assist individuals with limited mobility or those looking to streamline their daily routines. However, these promises come with significant financial and functional limitations, raising questions about whether Neo truly delivers on its claims. Despite its ambitious marketing, Neo's actual performance reveals substantial shortcomings. Many of the tasks showcased during demonstrations are not performed autonomously but are instead controlled remotely by human operators using virtual reality (VR) headsets. Its autonomous capabilities are limited to basic actions, such as opening doors or carrying small objects, far from the seamless functionality suggested in promotional materials. This reliance on human intervention highlights a critical gap between Neo's advertised potential and its technological maturity. For consumers, this creates a misleading impression of what the robot can achieve independently, raising concerns about transparency in the marketing of AI products. Purchasing Neo involves considerable risks, particularly for early adopters who effectively serve as beta testers for an unfinished product. These risks include: These risks underscore the challenges of introducing advanced AI products to the consumer market before they are fully developed and tested. Neo's limitations reflect broader challenges faced by AI developers in creating robots capable of functioning effectively in diverse household environments. These challenges include: These obstacles highlight the significant gap between the aspirations of AI developers and the current state of the technology, particularly in complex, unstructured environments like homes. The decision to market Neo as a fully capable household assistant raises important ethical questions. Overpromising its capabilities not only risks user frustration but also poses potential safety hazards. For instance, reliance on Neo for critical tasks, such as medication delivery, could lead to serious consequences if the robot fails to perform as expected. Additionally, the robot's high cost creates a barrier for many of the individuals it is intended to help, such as the elderly or those with mobility challenges. This disconnect between the product's target audience and its affordability reflects a broader issue in the AI industry: the prioritization of profit over accessibility. By focusing on high-end markets, developers risk alienating the very groups that could benefit most from such innovations. Neo's case serves as a cautionary example of the challenges and ethical dilemmas associated with developing and marketing advanced AI products. To address these issues and build consumer trust, the AI industry must adopt the following practices: By addressing these issues, the AI industry can work toward creating products that are not only technologically advanced but also ethical, accessible, and genuinely beneficial to society. Neo exemplifies the complexities of integrating AI-driven innovations into everyday life. While the vision of a fully autonomous household robot is undeniably appealing, the current reality underscores the need for greater transparency, ethical practices, and realistic expectations in the development and marketing of AI products. Discover other guides from our vast content that could be of interest on Humanoid Robots.

A humanoid robot will do all of your mundane chores for $20,000

A California tech company is selling an AI humanoid that can make your life easier -- but it might break the bank. The 5'6'' humanoid, from California tech company 1X Technologies, named NEO, is set to launch in the US in early 2026. You don't ever have to think of washing the dishes or doing laundry ever again, as long as you pay a monthly $499 subscription or just purchase NEO for a whopping $20,000 You'll even be able to pick out a color for the helpful bot -- tan, gray or dark brown. "Humanoids were long a thing of sci-fi... then they were a thing of research, but today -- with the launch of NEO -- humanoid robots become a product," Bernt Børnich, CEO and Founder OF 1X, said. "Something that you and me can reach out and touch. NEO closes the gap between our imaginations and the world we live in, to the point where we can actually ask a humanoid robot for help, and help is granted." Preorders for NEO began this week and require a $200 deposit for eager customers. The freaky-looking humanoid will be able to perform functions like "opening doors for guests, fetching items, and turning off the lights at night -- and grows in abilities with every software update," according to the tech company. The "Chores" feature will allow users to give NEO tasks to complete around their home and even specify times for when they want those tasks completed. Talk about efficiency! Owners of NEO will have the option of checking in on the humanoid via an app on their phone to see what it's up to. The humanoid's built-in facial camera will be able to get a view of your house and help complete unfamiliar tasks. For any task that NEO does not know how to do, users can make an appointment with a 1X expert to guide the AI robot through it. 1X is using Audio and Visual Intelligence, which allows NEO to recognize and respond when being addressed and enhance interactions such as recognizing ingredients, suggesting dishes to make, and adapting its responses over time. People had mixed reviews when the news broke of this creepy but helpful bot. One person wrote on X: "Ordered. Can't wait to try NEO fully autonomous mode and see how it performs!" "wtf you gonna do when this thing gets mad and murders you in your sleep," another person wrote in opposition of the AI robot.

Meet NEO: Humanoid robot designed as your home assistant for ₹18 lakh

Meet NEO: quiet, intelligent humanoid designed for everyday chores The future of domestic help isn't just a smart speaker or a wheeled vacuum - it's a bipedal robot that can fold laundry, tidy your shelves, and even fetch you a snack. That future is arriving with NEO, the flagship humanoid from Norwegian-American robotics company 1X Technologies, and it's poised to enter homes with a price tag estimated around ₹18 lakh (approximately $20,000). NEO is a general-purpose, 165-cm (5'5'') tall robot designed not for the factory floor, but specifically for the chaotic, unstructured environment of a human home. Unlike its industrial-focused rivals, NEO's core mission is to be a non-intimidating, safe, and ultimately useful domestic companion. By focusing on household utility and safety from the outset, 1X Technologies believes it can outpace competitors in delivering a truly mass-market humanoid. Also read: NVIDIA's investment in Nokia: How it will impact future of 6G telecom networks NEO's ability to operate safely in close proximity to people is its most crucial feature, and it stems directly from the proprietary Tendon Drive actuation system. This mechanism is a radical departure from the heavy, rigid gearboxes (like harmonic drives) typically used in robotics. The Tendon Drive is biologically inspired, mimicking the structure of human muscles and tendons. Instead of placing heavy motors directly at the joints, 1X routes cables - or tendons - from powerful, high-torque density motors positioned higher up in the robot's torso. This transmission method offers three profound advantages for a domestic robot: This unique hardware platform allows NEO to be both strong - capable of lifting up to 70 kg and carrying 25 kg - and soft, providing the dexterity needed in its 22-DoF hands for everything from picking up a smartphone to gently folding laundry. Also read: Apple accuses Oppo of using stolen Apple Watch secrets from an ex-employee NEO's intelligence is driven by an advanced AI system leveraging a built-in Large Language Model (LLM) and a concept called "embodied learning." This means the robot's AI is trained not just on massive text datasets, but on real-world actions, allowing it to fuse conversational intelligence with physical, contextual awareness. Using its Audio and Visual Intelligence, NEO can recognize when it's being addressed, identify objects (like ingredients on a kitchen counter), and use its memory to personalize interactions. Its core utility, however, rests in the 'Chores' feature. Owners can verbally give NEO a list of tasks, schedule them, and return to a tidier home. NEO is designed to handle the "robotic slop" - the imperfect but ultimately useful work of tidying up the world's most variable environment: the home. Despite its sophisticated AI, 1X is taking a pragmatic approach to deployment by relying on a 'human-in-the-loop' system called 'Expert Mode.' When NEO encounters a novel or complex task its autonomous systems can't solve, the owner can enable this mode. A human teleoperator from 1X Technologies can then remotely supervise and guide the robot, seeing what NEO sees and piloting it through the unfamiliar task. This provides two benefits: it ensures the chore gets done, and more importantly, it generates critical training data to teach NEO's AI to handle that task autonomously in the future. This approach creates a "social contract," as CEO Bernt Børnich describes it. For early adopters (who start receiving units in the U.S. in 2026), the trade-off for getting a highly capable robot that constantly improves is agreeing to share the visual data from their homes during these guided learning sessions. 1X has stated that user consent is explicit, and protocols are in place to ensure privacy, but the inherent exchange of domestic data for enhanced utility marks a pivotal moment in consumer robotics. With a consumer-friendly design, human-safe hardware, and a learning model built for exponential improvement, NEO is positioning itself to be much more than a gadget, it's aiming to be the world's first true robotic companion. Also read: Yann LeCun warns of a Robotics Bubble: Why humanoid AI isn't ready yet

Introducing the AI-powered humanoid robot 'NEO' for housework assistance, available for a monthly subscription of approximately 76,000 yen

NEO is 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 66 pounds. It can lift up to 154 pounds and carry up to 55 pounds. NEO has five human-like fingers and palms, allowing it to perform the delicate movements needed for household chores. It uses actuators inspired by human tendons and muscles, achieving both safety and quietness. The interior is covered with a soft lattice material so the mechanical parts are not exposed. NEO is equipped with AI and can have voice conversations with users. You can have it do various household chores via a smartphone app. It can handle a variety of household chores, including clearing out the dishes in the dishwasher. It also charges the battery itself. You can also show them a bottle with something in it and have a conversation like, 'Is this paprika powder?' 'No, it's cayenne pepper.' It can also be used as a handy servant, opening doors for you when your hands are full or clearing away cups after you've finished drinking. The Wall Street Journal, a financial newspaper, has published a video interviewing Børnich and showing him actually using NEO. Additionally, during the testing phase, NEO was unable to perform various operations autonomously and was remotely controlled by an employee wearing a headset. The data collected through remote control will be used as training data to improve NEO. Børnich explained that customers who purchase NEO in 2026 should understand that it may be remotely controlled by humans. He went on to say, 'We can't improve the product without your data,' and 'If you buy NEO in 2026, most of the work will be done automatically,' highlighting the fact that the NEO at the shipping stage will be more advanced. 1X Technologies is currently recruiting employees to operate NEO and collect data. 1X Technologies AS - Robot Operator, 3-11pm MF https://1x.recruitee.com/o/robot-operator NEO is available as a monthly subscription for $499 (approximately 76,000 yen), or you can purchase ownership with a three-year warranty for $20,000 (approximately 3 million yen). Order NEO https://www.1x.tech/order