When I saw the $16,000 Unitree Robotics G1, shown above, I immediately started dreaming about the AI humanoid robots of the future, which I would love to integrate into my smart home and help with most of my household chores.
Advances in AI will enable robots to easily understand voice commands. Simply talk to them the same way you would talk to a human. Advanced algorithms will also enable robots to interact with other smart devices and physical objects in your home to perform real-world household chores.
At the time, I said that I expected to see major tech companies develop their own AI humanoid robots. I mentioned Apple specifically because I've been using the entire Apple ecosystem for a long time, and by the time the company produces a humanoid robot, I'll be well accustomed to Apple Intelligence in my iPhone and other Apple devices.
It's too early to talk about release plans, but it appears Apple is already considering such a robot.
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The rumor comes from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who released a new Power On newsletter over the weekend that focuses on Apple's robotics plans.
Gurman said Apple is still looking for breakthrough products after abandoning the Apple Car project, which was meant to be a “giant, driving robot,” so robotics may be a natural evolution of that project, especially in the age of AI.
Gurman previously reported that Apple wants to release an iPad-like home robot that can essentially follow you around, with the device expected to cost around $1,000 and launch in 2026 or 2027. But the robot's sole purpose would be to make computers easier to use in situations where you don't necessarily want to touch or pick up your tablet.
The device isn't the AI humanoid robot of my dreams — one that does household chores for me — but Gurman says Apple is already exploring such ideas.
One day, Apple's robots may go even further: The company envisions machines that can do household chores like loading the washing machine and washing dirty dishes, but that's still a long way off, and the ideas are still just whiteboard sketches.
If Apple is that ambitious, such a humanoid robot may not be ready until the next decade, but advances in AI will surely help justify the need for such a product.
Apple is reportedly developing a new personality for its devices that goes beyond Siri, a “human-like interface based on generative AI” that could run on the upcoming tabletop iPad robot and other products. I think this personality will be the equivalent of ChatGPT Voice Mode or Gemini Live.
Such AI models would certainly benefit from having a body, and it seems natural to incorporate these personalities into humanoid robots, but this is easier said than done.
Apple can reuse many of the engineers who previously worked on the smart car project. However, it may take years to develop a reliable AI humanoid robot that can easily navigate the house and do household chores for humans. These products will be very sophisticated, so they will be expensive to manufacture. And they will not be cheap for buyers. As you can see from the robot in the image above, it sells for $16,000. It's not exactly the kind of robot you want in your smart home, but it's pretty pricey.
