Remember when GTA 6 was announced? And then we waited. And waited. Yeah, we're probably going to see the same kind of delays with this robot. My bet? GTA 6 actually comes out first.
Look, I know what you're thinking. "Another tech company promising robots that'll never ship." I thought the same thing. But this one's different.
1X Technologies – the Norwegian robotics company backed by OpenAI – just opened pre-orders for their Neo home robot. And unlike most vaporware announcements, this thing is actually real.
The Numbers That Matter
Here's what we know:
- Price: $20,000 USD outright, or $499/month
- Funding: $125 million raised (OpenAI is a major investor)
- Ships: 2026 to US customers first
- For Kiwis: Probably 2028, and expect to pay $40,000+ after import duties and shipping
So yeah, it's expensive. But unlike most robot announcements, they've actually built working prototypes. The company already has a fleet of humanoid robots working in warehouses, and Neo is the consumer version.
What Does It Actually Do?
Neo is designed to handle basic household tasks: folding laundry, tidying rooms, bringing you stuff, maybe even loading the dishwasher. It's about 5'5" tall, has human-like hands, and can walk around your house without falling over (most of the time).
It uses AI to navigate your home, recognize objects, and understand commands. The tech is genuinely impressive – we're talking about a bipedal robot that can manipulate real-world objects in unpredictable environments.
Here's The Catch (And It's A Big One)
Remember when I said it's real? It is. But here's what they're not shouting about in the marketing:
For most tasks, the robot needs to be remotely controlled by human operators in California.
That's right. When your $20,000 robot is folding your laundry, there's a decent chance someone in a 1X control center is piloting it like a video game character. They call it "Expert Mode."
And here's where it gets weird: Those operators can see and hear everything in your home while they're controlling the robot.
The camera feed. The audio. Your awkward conversations with your partner. Those 3 AM kitchen conversations. Your questionable life choices playing out in real-time. All potentially visible to a stranger 10,000km away.
Now, 1X says they're working toward full autonomy, and the human operators are just there to "train the AI" and handle edge cases. But right now, in 2025, that's the reality.
Is This The Future or a Privacy Nightmare?
Here's the thing: I actually think this is cool tech. The engineering is incredible. The potential is massive. And honestly, having a robot that can fold laundry sounds pretty great.
But we're also talking about inviting a camera-equipped device into the most private spaces of your home, with the knowledge that humans might be watching through its eyes at any moment.
For some people, that's a dealbreaker. For others, it's just the price of convenience in 2025.
The Real Application: Aged Care
Here's where this tech actually makes sense: aged care and in-home assistance.
Think about it. An elderly person living alone could have family members remotely control the robot to help with daily tasks. Your kids could check in on grandma, help her around the house, and even have conversations through the robot – all without needing to physically be there.
In that context, the human operator isn't a privacy concern – it's literally the feature. It's like a telepresence system that can actually do useful physical tasks.
That's probably the immediate, practical application that'll justify the $20k price tag before full autonomy kicks in.
When Will We Get It In NZ?
Realistically? 2028 at the earliest. US pre-orders ship in 2026, assuming no delays (and there are always delays with hardware). After that, they'll expand to other markets.
By the time it hits New Zealand, expect:
- $40,000+ NZD after import duties
- Limited support (you're not ringing a local service center)
- Potential connectivity issues (depending on how their cloud infrastructure works)
- Regulatory hurdles (does a home robot need certification? Who knows!)
Final Thoughts
Look, I'm not telling you to pre-order one. $20,000 is a lot of money, especially for something that needs remote human pilots and ships in 2026 (maybe).
But I am saying this: home robots are coming. Not in some distant sci-fi future – in the next 2-3 years. And Neo is the first real, shipping product that proves it.
Whether that's exciting or terrifying probably depends on how comfortable you are with the trade-off: convenience in exchange for privacy.
What Do You Think?
Would you pay $20,000 for a home robot if it meant human operators could occasionally see inside your house?
Drop a comment or share this article – I'm genuinely curious where people land on this.