NEO humanoid robot company plans to release 100,000 units by late 2027 - USA Today
1x, the Palo Alto, California-based company that manufactures the robots, said the machines will be built at its Hayward factory about 27 miles from San Francisco, according to a news release on Thursday, April 30.
Key takeaways
- Humanoid robotics are entering a rapid growth phase in 2026.
- Palo Alto‑based 1x began shipping its NEO unit—priced at $20,000 and marketed as a household helper—while the company has already booked its full 10,000‑unit production run for the year and aims to scale to 100,000 units annually by late 2027.
- In parallel, Meta has bolstered its humanoid‑AI ambitions by acquiring Assured Robot Intelligence (ARI), a startup that builds foundation models for whole‑body robot control, adding the team’s expertise in self‑learning and human‑behavior prediction to Meta’s Superintelligence Labs.
- Genesis AI unveiled its GENE‑26.5 “robotic brain,” a foundation model that pairs with a dexterous glove to give general‑purpose robots human‑level manipulation precision, and announced a $105 million funding round to accelerate deployments.
- Chinese firm DroidUp introduced Moya, a biomimetic humanoid that can bend, smile and maintain eye contact, targeting healthcare and education markets where long‑term human interaction is critical.
1x, the Palo Alto, California-based company that manufactures the robots, said the machines will be built at its Hayward factory about 27 miles from San Francisco, according to a news release on Thursday, April 30.
The company launched NEO for $20,000 a pop in October. In five days, the company booked its entire production capacity for the year — 10,000 units.
The first NEOs will be delivered to owners this year, 1x said, warning that the timeline might take longer than expected.
"Some of you will get your NEO this year, some will get them later," the company said. "We promised the first NEOs would ship in 2026, and we’re keeping that promise." The goal is for NEO to become fully autonomous, 1x said. Its autonomy will progress as it completes tasks, the company added. Despite the company's great ambitions, it's still unclear when the robot will enter U.S. homes.
NEO humanoid robot company plans to release 100,000 units by late 2027
NEO humanoid robot company plans to release 100,000 units by late 2027
The company behind NEO, last year’s viral humanoid robot, says it’s ramping up production — aiming to build 100,000 units annually by the end of 2027.
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