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The robot is 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighs as much as a golden retriever, and roughly the price of a brand-new economy car. This is it The new onesthe Human robot.
Billed as a personal assistant you can talk to and ultimately rely on to handle daily tasks, Neo can load the dishwasher and fold laundry.
But it’s not cheap: it will cost you $20,000. Even then, you’ll still need to train this new home robot, and it may require remote assistance as well.
Watch this: You can now pre-order Neo, the AI-powered home robot
If that still sounds tempting, pre-orders are open now (for $200 USD). You’ll sign up as an early adopter of what the Neo’s maker, a California-based company called 1X, calls a “consumer-ready human.” This is in contrast to other humanoids in development such as Tesla and appearancewhich, at least for now, is focused more on factory environments.
Neo is a full order of magnitude different from Robot vacuums Like those found in Roomba, Eufy, and Ecovacs, and embody a long-standing science fiction fantasy of robot maids and servants Doing household chores And pick up after us. If this is the future, read on to find out more about what’s in store.
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What the new robot can do around the house
Are you interested in getting Neo for your home? You can choose from different colors that best suit your home decor.
The idea behind the 1X is that Neo can do all kinds of chores: fold laundry, run the vacuum, tidy shelves, and fetch groceries. It can open doors, climb stairs, and even act as a home entertainment system.
Neo seems to move smoothly, with a smooth, almost human-like gait, thanks to the 1X’s tendon-driven motor system that gives him gentle movement and amazing strength. The company says it can lift up to 154 pounds and carry 55 pounds, but it’s quieter than a refrigerator. It’s covered in soft materials and neutral colors, making it look less intimidating than metal prototypes from other companies.
The company says the Neo has a 4-hour runtime. Its hands are IP68 rated, which means it is submersible in water. It can connect via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 5G. For conversation, it has a built-in large language model (LLM), of the same type Artificial intelligence technology Those powers ChatGPT and twin.
The primary way to control the Neo robot will be by talking to it, just as if it were a person.
However, the usefulness of Neo today depends largely on how you define useful. The Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern obtained A closer look at Neo at 1X headquarters and found that, at least for now, it is largely remotely operated, meaning a human is often operating it remotely using Virtual reality headset And control devices.
“I did not see Neo doing anything independently, although the company shared a video of Neo opening the door on its own,” Stern wrote last week. 1X CEO Bernt Burnish reportedly told her that Neo will do most things independently in 2026, though he also admitted that quality “may be delayed at first.”
The company’s FAQ notes that if there’s a chore request that Neo doesn’t know how to complete, you can schedule an expert from 1X to help the robot “learn as it gets done.”
What you need to know about Neo and privacy
Part of what early adopters have in common is allowing Neo to learn from their environment, so future versions can operate more independently.
This learning process raises questions about privacy and trust. The robot uses a combination of visual, auditory and contextual intelligence, which means it can see, hear and remember interactions with you in your home.
“If you buy this product, it’s because you agree to this social contract,” Burnish told the newspaper. “It’s not about Neo doing chores right away, it’s more about helping Neo learn how to do them safely and effectively.”
Neo’s reliance on human operations behind the scenes prompted a response from John Carmack, a computer industry luminary known for his work with virtual reality systems and the lead programmer of classic video games, including Doom and Quake.
“Companies selling the dream of autonomous home robots today would be better off accepting reality and selling ‘remote home help,’” he wrote in an article. Posting on social network.
Neo looks a bit like the deflated Baymax from Big Hero 6.
1X says it’s taking steps to protect your privacy: Neo only listens when it realizes it’s being addressed, and its cameras will black out humans. The company says you can prevent Neo from entering or viewing certain areas of your home, and the robot will never be turned on without the owner’s consent.
But inviting an AI human to monitor your home life is no small step.
The first units are expected to ship to US customers in 2026. A $499 monthly subscription is an alternative to the full $20,000 purchase price, though it will be available at an unspecified later date. A wider international rollout is expected to take place in 2027.
Neo has a long way to go to live up to the expectations set by Rosie the Robot in The Jetsons long ago. But this is not a Hanna-Barbera cartoon. What we see now is a tangible harbinger of change.