I Tried the Robot That’s Coming to Live With You. It’s Still Part Human.
The future of home assistance, powered by humanoid robots, feels tantalizingly close. Companies like 1X are at the forefront, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. I recently had the chance to interact with Neo, 1X's bipedal robot, designed to eventually become your personal housekeeper. The experience was fascinating, a blend of impressive technological prowess and a surprising, yet strategic, dependency on human intervention.
My session with Neo started innocuously enough. The robot, sleek and somewhat unassuming at around five feet tall, was tasked with a simple chore: picking up a spilled coffee mug and placing it on a designated shelf. Its movements were fluid, if a touch deliberate, as it navigated the simulated living room. What I didn't immediately grasp was the invisible hand guiding its every action. It wasn't until a subtle hesitation, a moment where Neo seemed to "think" before adjusting its grip, that a representative from 1X revealed the critical detail: a human operator, hundreds of miles away, was moment-by-moment teleoperating the robot.
This is the core of 1X's current strategy, and perhaps the most pivotal question for its widespread adoption: Neo wants to be your housekeeper, but first, it needs to be controlled by a human, effectively "seeing" and "hearing" through the robot's sensors, right there in your home. Cool with you?
The concept, known as "human-in-the-loop" teleoperation, isn't new in robotics, but its application as a foundational step for consumer home robots is a bold commercialization play. For 1X, a Norwegian company that has garnered significant investment, including a Series B funding round of over $100 million with backing from OpenAI (openai.com), this isn't a stopgap measure; it's a deliberate and necessary phase in their journey towards truly autonomous, general-purpose robots.
"We recognize that current AI, while rapidly advancing, isn't yet robust enough for the unpredictable, unstructured environments of a typical home," explained a 1X engineer during my demo. "The human-in-the-loop model allows us to deploy Neo today, providing immediate utility while simultaneously gathering invaluable real-world data. Every interaction, every decision made by the remote operator, feeds our machine learning models, accelerating Neo's path to full autonomy."
This approach offers a compelling business advantage. Instead of waiting years for perfect AI, 1X can generate revenue and deploy robots to learn in diverse environments much faster than competitors relying solely on simulation or laboratory testing. The remote operators act as both a safety net and a real-time data annotator, teaching the robot how to perceive, understand, and interact with the world in a way that pre-programmed rules or even advanced simulations often miss. Imagine the nuances of picking up a fragile ornament versus a sturdy book – these are the fine distinctions Neo is learning through supervised experience.
The immediate implications for consumers, however, are multifaceted. On one hand, you get access to advanced robotic assistance sooner. Neo could, theoretically, perform a range of household chores – tidying, laundry, even light meal prep – guided by a skilled operator. This could be a godsend for busy families, the elderly, or individuals with mobility challenges. 1X envisions a future where you subscribe to Neo's services, much like you would a professional cleaning company, but with the added benefit of on-demand, flexible assistance.
On the other hand, the privacy and trust implications are substantial. While the human operator is remote, they are essentially experiencing your home through Neo's eyes and ears. 1X states that strict protocols are in place to ensure privacy, including anonymization of data where possible, secure data transmission, and clear guidelines for operators. But the very idea of a human peering into your private space, even indirectly, is bound to raise eyebrows.
"The 'uncanny valley' isn't just about appearance; it's also about trust," notes Dr. Anya Sharma, an ethics researcher specializing in AI and robotics. "Companies like 1X must be hyper-transparent about how data is collected, who has access, and for what purpose. Building that trust from day one is paramount, especially when you're asking a consumer to literally invite a robot, and by extension, a human operator, into their most personal space."
For now, 1X is likely targeting early adopters and specific use cases where the benefits clearly outweigh the privacy concerns, perhaps in business settings or homes where explicit consent and understanding are easily established. They're also likely to roll out in pilot programs where user feedback can directly influence policy and technological development.
Beyond the immediate experience, 1X's strategy highlights a critical juncture in the burgeoning humanoid robot market. While competitors like Tesla Bot (tesla.com/AI) and Figure AI (figure.ai) are also making strides, the debate over the fastest and safest path to commercialization continues. 1X's human-in-the-loop model represents a pragmatic bridge, acknowledging current AI limitations while pushing forward with real-world deployment.
The long-term vision remains full autonomy. As Neo's AI models mature, the need for constant teleoperation will diminish, shifting to supervision, then perhaps only intervention in novel or complex situations, and eventually, full independence. This data flywheel – real-world interaction leading to better AI, leading to more autonomous interaction – is the core engine of their progress.
Ultimately, the question of whether a robot that's "still part human" is cool with you will depend on your individual comfort level, the perceived benefits, and 1X's ability to clearly communicate its privacy safeguards. What's clear is that the future of home robotics isn't waiting for perfect AI; it's deploying imperfect, learning machines today, with a human hand still guiding the way. And for those of us eager to see these machines in our homes, that might just be a trade-off worth considering.
