Biggest Problems Humanoid Robots Face in 2026 | What The Future

Humanoid robots have big plans for 2026.

They will be showing up in more people's homes. They'll log more hours in

homes. They'll log more hours in factories and warehouses. And yes, there will [music] likely be more robot-onroot real steel style slugfests in competitions. But for humanoid robots to

competitions. But for humanoid robots to reach their full potential and deliver on the big promises made by their creators, there's some major hurdles that need to be overcome so that we don't find ourselves in some sci-fi

dystopia. We'll start with the biggest

dystopia. We'll start with the biggest challenge and what should always come first, safety. Right now, if a humanoid

first, safety. Right now, if a humanoid robot can do some of its work autonomously, it's common for companies to just have the bots do that work in a separate area fenced off from their human co-workers. Usually, there's some

human co-workers. Usually, there's some kind of dedicated robot zone, sometimes called a work cell, as we see in this example of Digit from Agility Robotics.

But performing tasks safely around living people, is a different engineering challenge. Step one, before

engineering challenge. Step one, before a robot can leave its zone, it needs to be able to know how to recognize and steer clear of its fleshy co-workers. A

lot of robots designed for working in factories like Digit, Teslaot, or Atlas from Boston Dynamics all have something in common. They're made of hard plastic

in common. They're made of hard plastic and metal bodies. This is fine for a warehouse environment, but it could seriously hurt somebody in the event of a collision. And good luck to you if you

a collision. And good luck to you if you get a finger caught in one of those robot joints, sometimes called pinch points. Humanoids designed for the home

points. Humanoids designed for the home are hoping some padding and clothing can help avoid such accidents. Here, the Neo from 1X wears this machine washable nylon turtleneck bodysuit with gloves

and shoes. Meanwhile, the Figure 3 bot

and shoes. Meanwhile, the Figure 3 bot from Figure also has a type of soft fabric bodysuit. All of which is said to

fabric bodysuit. All of which is said to be durable and cut resistant. The

clothing might make them safer and softer to work around pets and families.

But a fresh robot fit isn't going to help with two other major challenges facing the industry: privacy and trust.

The Neohumoid Home Helper is a prime example. It's designed to assist with

example. It's designed to assist with laundry, dishes, and cleaning up. But

the first models arriving in 2026 will not be able to do all of that autonomously out of the box. For most

tasks, Neo will have to be teleoperated by what 1X calls a quote expert.

Essentially, a stranger who remote controls the robot, seeing what the robot sees and controlling the hands and arms to accomplish household chores. The

promise is that the robot would someday learn from its remote control pilots and eventually be able to do these tasks autonomously. To be clear, anything with

autonomously. To be clear, anything with cameras, microphones, or other sensors that gather data and can connect to the internet inherently poses some privacy risk. Vacuums, smart home assistants,

risk. Vacuums, smart home assistants, home security cameras, and smartphones have all faced privacy concerns.

Although your robot mop isn't piloted by a customer service rep in a VR helmet, but having a 5'4 in walking structure that can grasp sharp objects adds another layer of distrust, like a mix of stranger danger and surveillance state

heebie-jebies. So, how do you make a

heebie-jebies. So, how do you make a humanoid robot look less threatening?

It's all in the eyes. 1X spaces out its two cameras at the same distance on the face as human eyes. Light rings on each side also let people nearby know what mode the robot is in, including a blue

color indicating it's being remote controlled and a progress bar for when it's charging. For added privacy, 1X

it's charging. For added privacy, 1X says owners can set no go zones inside their home or opt out of sharing data with 1X for improving the robots. The

company also says its cameras can blur human faces, though there are still other ways cameras and related software can identify individuals. Agility

Robotics also added eyes to its digital robot, but not to see. Digit's animated

LED eyes communicate to people nearby where it's planning to move. And for

good measure, the robot also features acute chirpy digital language where it narrates every action it's taking, so you're not left wondering what your robot is up to.

Moving to standoff. Some companies have made it

to standoff. Some companies have made it their explicit goal to create robots that look as human as possible. Robotics

uses silicone skin humanoids with expressive faces and eyes that follow you. All to mimic emotion and build

you. All to mimic emotion and build trust. The company is not afraid to

trust. The company is not afraid to march right into the unsettling feeling known as the uncanny valley. A zone in which people can tell something is trying to pass as human, but it isn't quite passing yet. Which may make some

people uncomfortable. That is at least

people uncomfortable. That is at least until these robots become advanced enough that they start actually passing as real people in which case some folks may get uncomfortable for a whole different set of reasons. In my view,

the best way companies can generate trust with their robots is by putting privacy controls in the hands of people working with these robots both in homes and in workplaces. Trust can also be built with more transparency in

promotional videos. Companies need to

promotional videos. Companies need to clearly label every video to explain if the tasks being shown are performed autonomously via tea operation or something in between. These companies

should also bring these robots into real world settings where the public can meet them face to artificial face. But all

the trust in the world won't mean much if these robots can't do what their developers are promising. That's where

the problems of autonomy and training come in. Teaching a robot to operate in

come in. Teaching a robot to operate in the world and do basic tasks. Even

something as simple as walking along a bumpy floor requires a lot of data and it requires owners to be willing to share that data with other robots to help build a better knowledge base across the board. The more robots you

have sharing data, the better they can do these jobs. And then there's the issue that goes beyond the walls of your home or office. How will these humanoid robots change the labor market itself?

It's hard not to look at Neo or other humanoids and think, "Why not just hire a person who could use that money for their family instead of pouring thousands and thousands of dollars into a robot?" The sales pitch presents

a robot?" The sales pitch presents robots as the answer to some labor shortage. But one could also

shortage. But one could also characterize this moment as a shortage of well-paying jobs. Overwhelmingly,

these robot manufacturers make the case that the machines are taking on jobs that humans generally don't want to do.

So, what happens to the humans that still do these jobs? I asked foundation CEO Set Pak about this and his optimistic viewpoint is that robots will be a net positive for society by making goods more affordable. But he also said

that if that doesn't work out >> the second scenario um is that doesn't happen. I think that is probably the

happen. I think that is probably the most um concerning outcome which I think starts taking shape in [music] some kind of universal basic income. Meanwhile,

China is also investing heavily in developing humanoid robots, and the machines displayed so far have vastly increased their capabilities in just one year's time. So, the space is changing

year's time. So, the space is changing fast. I'm fascinated to see how the same

fast. I'm fascinated to see how the same disruptive technology, humanoid robots, developed simultaneously within two competing political and economic systems will ultimately fit into and transform

each of these societies. Time will tell, and we'll be covering it every step of the way. Would you feel comfortable with

the way. Would you feel comfortable with a robot like this at home or at your workplace? Let us know your thoughts,

workplace? Let us know your thoughts, dreams, and sci-fi nightmares down in the comments.