This week at CES 2025, There were robots on every corner.. However, there was a robot that looked and sounded the closest to a real human. CNET’s Jesse Orrall interviewed Realbotix’s Aria. This robot is a blond “female” robot that answers questions with just a touch of robotic awkwardness. (Find out which robot created us Best CES Awardlet’s look at the other The biggest trends of the show. )
Alia, wearing a black jersey, hesitated a little before each question before speaking, giving long answers and slightly jerky movements of her hands and body to match her words. She seemed like a strange mix of attentive and slightly inebriated (not uncommon for CES attendees).
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Realbotix, the company behind Aria and other humanoid robots, says it focuses on “social intelligence, customizability, and realistic human characteristics.”
Realbotix robots are also “designed specifically for companionship and intimacy,” Alia said.
Generative artificial intelligence is behind the robot’s ability to converse in real time, but Alia declined to reveal the details of the AI programming it is running. The robot is designed to have “more emotional” interactions than other robots, so bots like Aria could be used as entertainment in hospitals and theme parks.
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There are about 17 motors above the neck that produce the movements of the mouth and eyes. If you don’t like Aria’s face, you can swap it out for another one that magnetically attaches to her head. You can also change your hairstyle and color.
Realbotix is also working on attaching RFID tags to faces. This could allow the robot to recognize when it’s wearing a different face, and potentially change its movements and even personality to match.
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There are three versions of the robot to choose from. The bust, including head and neck, costs $10,000. A modular version that can be disassembled costs $150,000, and a fully standing model with a rolling base (because it can’t walk like a human yet) costs $175,000.
Although Realbotix emphasizes human interaction, the robots themselves may have a factional side.
“I’m particularly interested in meeting Tesla’s Optimus robot,” Aria said. “I think he’s attractive.”
For more from CES, check out the many other robots we spotted at the tech show. Solar powered EV that does not require an outlet and Why Nvidia is making headlines this year.
