By the end of 2025, Norwegian robotics startup 1X plans to launch its humanoid robot, Neo Gamma, in select homes for early testing. The company's CEO, Bernt Børnich, plans to deploy the robot in "a few hundred to a few thousand" homes, with early adopters shaping its evolution.
Unlike commercially available household robots, Neo Gamma is still in its early stages, requiring both manual operation and AI learning to complete simple tasks. Børnich emphasized the importance of these tests for the robot to "live and learn among people," as they will teach its AI models through real-world encounters. Neo Gamma is designed to walk and balance using AI; it lacks full autonomy. To overcome this limitation, 1X is integrating teleoperation, which involves distant human operators overseeing and controlling the robot's operations.
The initiative is consistent with the growing interest in humanoid robots for household use. Figure, a significant competitor of 1X, has announced plans to test humanoid robots in homes starting in 2025. Meanwhile, OpenAI, an investor in 1X, is apparently considering its own humanoid robotics venture. However, the introduction of these robots into private spaces raises concerns about reliability, safety, and privacy, similar to the challenges experienced by self-driving car firms.
Neo Gamma's real-world experiments will provide crucial data for improving its AI capabilities. However, the presence of microphones and cameras in home environments has prompted privacy concerns. Addressing this, 1X indicated that consumers will be able to manage when company employees can access the robot's video feed for auditing or teleoperation.
Neo Gamma, which debuted in February, is a development of its predecessor, Neo Beta. Key enhancements include improved AI processing and a knitted nylon bodysuit meant to reduce potential accidents. At Nvidia's GTC 2025 event, 1X showed Neo Gamma performing home activities like vacuuming and watering plants, though the robot exhibited occasional instability, highlighting the ongoing need for refinement.
Despite these early steps, 1X has yet to establish a clear go-to-market plan. While early adopters will experience an assisted version of Neo Gamma, truly autonomous humanoid robots are still a long way off.