When Robots Revolt

Finally, there’s the question of purpose. We’ve yet to find the most compelling use case for humanoid robots. It’s unclear how many people will find value in shelling out $20,000 to have their laundry folded. The search for that use case will likely be resolved as manufacturers race to uncover their killer app. But until that happens, Neo and other robots will remain answers in search of a question. The scene isn’t from a science fiction movie. It’s a real demonstration of Neo, the first consumer-ready humanoid robot built for home use. Watching it, you can feel both the promise and the problem of what comes next. 1X may eventually solve the technical puzzles. It might make its robots faster, safer, and more affordable. None of that will address the real barrier to adoption. Until we reconcile our moral inheritance, until we can imagine partnership without domination, the humanoid robot will keep bumping up against something it can’t code around: the American conscience.

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