This fancy home robot needs humans to do all the actual work

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The home robot revolution is inching closer to reality—and the WSJ’s Joanna Stern just got a rare hands-on look at 1X’s $20,000 Neo humanoid housekeeper, set for release in 2026.

In her video review, Stern lives out the “Jetsons” dream, highlighting the robot’s motor-driven arms, soft-bodied safety features, and AI-powered task learning.

She’s candid about current limitations: “Spending the day with Neo was a bit like spending the day with a toddler learning how to do things in the world, quips Stern in her video.

“The next few years isn’t about owning a super useful robot. It’s about raising one, letting it learn from your home, routines, and chores, all at the expense of the privacy of your inner sanctum”.​

Neo’s most eye-opening trick? Remote teleoperation.

For now, nearly every task involves a “human behind the curtain” controlling the robot via VR—an approach 1X sees as vital for gathering real-world data and training its AI for future autonomy.

As Stern notes, “What Neo really signals is the beginning of physical AI in our lives and homes, a future where we may work alongside a new kind of machine.”​

Safety and privacy remain top concerns. Neo’s movements are tightly regulated, and owners can enforce “no-go zones” or blur themselves from operators’ view.

But Stern points out the trade-off: for Neo to truly help, you’ll have to open your home to both AI and remote pilots.

Feel like owning a piece of the future? The 1x robot is now available for preorders for a cool $20K. Subscription plans of $499 are available for prospective buyers with a $200 deposit. Delivery is expected sometime in 2026.

Editor’s Note: We reached out to 1x for comment at the time of publishing, and we’ll update our story if they provide a statement.

Kevin Raposo

Kevin is KnowTechie's founder and executive editor. With over 15 years of blogging experience in the tech industry, Kevin has transformed what was once a passion project into a full-blown tech news publication. Shoot him an email at kevin@knowtechie.com.