I’m obsessed with robots and have been watching the Gigantor anime on a small vacuum tube TV since I was little. Back then, I dreamed of riding on the shoulders of my friend’s robot. Since then, I’ve abandoned my boyish dreams in favor of robot home companions like C-3PO, and part of me believes 2025 could be my year. Masu.
In 2024, more and more companies are developing humanoid robots. Market leader Boston Dynamics has unveiled the amazing Atlas 2, the most advanced and human-like robot ever. Tesla struts along with the Optimus update, Figure AI arrives with the startlingly bright Figure 01, and 1X Neo Beta’s jarring human-robot interaction will forever haunt our dreams. The slow pace of humanoid robot development that I have witnessed over the past 30 years is accelerating, in part because some are combining their robotics efforts with advances in AI. For example, Figure 01 partnered with OpenAI to enable some voice-based responses.
As I sometimes do, I usually avoid giving a direct answer to the question of when Star Wars-like robots will be introduced into our homes because there are too many variables. From what I know about robot development, I know there will be long wait times.
Of course, that’s not the result I want. Since robots remain a theme on my technology wishlist, I’ve gotten moral and intellectual support from several accomplices in the robotics race: Google Gemini, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Siri, and Anthropic’s Claude AI. I thought it might happen.
simple robot questions
I asked them the same simple question. “Will we have humanoid robots in 2025?”
Siri, even with Apple Intelligence upgrades, was sadly useless. I kept trying this simple question, but each time Siri thought I was in distress and said, “If you think something might be serious, ask me to call emergency services or someone you trust.” Please.” Siri probably thought I was being attacked by a robot.
I switched to ChatGPT 4o. As mentioned earlier, OpenAI is already deeply involved in the robot race, working with partners like Figure AI to enable smarter interactions with existing humanoid robots. Perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised by ChatGPT’s mostly optimistic response.
ChatGPT told me, “There’s a good chance we’ll see advanced humanoid robots. Technology is advancing rapidly, so we might have some great robots by then. If you’re interested in owning one… Do you have one?”
The word “affordable” will not be part of the humanoid robotics vocabulary of 2024 or 2025. Sorry ChatGPT, but I don’t think you fully understand this market.
When ChatGPT asks me what type of robot I want, I’m tempted to say, “Calm down.” This was a strange question because I had already told them I wanted a humanoid one.
I was surprised by what ChatGPT believes about the rise of humanoid robots. So I took on this challenge and asked what made it possible for me to have a humanoid robot.
“Well,” it began in the most casual, yes, human-like voice, “robot technology is advancing rapidly,” true, true. “Companies are developing advanced robotics with advanced AI that can perform a variety of tasks. By 2025, we could see even more practical and affordable humanoid robots. .”
That last bit triggered a red flag. The word “affordable” will not be part of the humanoid robotics vocabulary of 2024 or 2025. Sorry ChatGPT, but I don’t think you fully understand this market.
When I switched to Claude AI and then Gemini, things became more realistic.
Anthropic’s AI throws cold water on my dreams, stating that “by 2025, it is unlikely that most people will have a fully functional humanoid robot in their home,” and that “a truly versatile humanoid robot will be “It’s still in the early stages of development,” he added.
Claude AI told us that in 2025, instead of Rosie the robot, there would be:
More prototype humanoid robots in robot assistant laboratories and technology demonstrations with limited advanced research and industrial robot capabilities
While I appreciated Claude AI’s clearer perspective, I was also disappointed.
Gone are my dreams of a robot entertaining me with fanciful sci-fi stories while I played catch in the backyard or cooked dinner.
Maybe Gemini will lift me up. After all, Google is the land of moonshot projects. Certainly, they would consider the humanoid glass to be at least half full.
But Gemini was even more reticent than Claude AI. It taught me the following:
“While there are companies developing humanoid robots such as Tesla’s Optimus and 1X’s Neo, it is unlikely that they will be widely available to consumers in 2025. These robots are still in the early stages of development. It is ready for mass production and commercialization, and it may take several years before it becomes practical. ”
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Frustrated, mostly because I know Gemini is right, I asked about the “main hold-ups” and Gemini had quite a list. What surprised me was that AI was sitting at the top. “Building artificial intelligence that can understand and respond to complex environments (reading an unpredictable home) and tasks in a human-like manner remains a major challenge,” Gemini said.
Other challenges include:
Hardware that can handle all the different types of tasks we do in our homes. Battery technology that can last long enough. Cost: Not only do these robots cost millions of dollars to develop and manufacture, but every humanoid robot you buy in 2025 will cost tens of thousands of dollars.
This is a harsh reality from at least two of the world’s leading AIs, and a lot of wishful thinking from an AI that should know better.
Despite all this, I am looking forward to an exciting 2025 in humanoid robotics. Of course, you won’t be taking Optimus or Atlas home with you, but we can guarantee you that there will be some eye-opening updates. The fun will likely begin at CES 2025. At a big tech event last year, I danced with a humanoid robot. Who knows what they can do this year.
