The era of the household robot butler, long a staple of science fiction, has moved a significant step closer to reality. Norwegian-American AI and robotics company 1X has officially launched pre-orders for Neo, a bipedal humanoid robot designed to automate everyday chores and act as a personalized assistant in the home.
In what 1X CEO Bernt Børnich is calling a pivotal moment for the industry, Neo is being positioned as the world’s first consumer-ready humanoid robot. “Humanoids were long a thing of sci-fi… then they were a thing of research, but today — with the launch of NEO — humanoid robots become a product,” Børnich said in a statement. “Something that you and me can reach out and touch.”
Standing at 5 feet 6 inches and weighing a nimble 66 pounds, Neo is engineered for safety and interaction in a home environment. Its body is covered in a soft, 3D-knit suit, and its joints are designed to be “pinch-proof.” Despite its slight frame, it boasts impressive strength, capable of lifting over 150 pounds and carrying up to 55 pounds.
From Tidying Up to Taking Commands
1X envisions Neo as a multi-purpose assistant that can tackle tasks like folding laundry, tidying rooms, emptying the dishwasher, and fetching items on command. The robot operates on Redwood AI, 1X’s proprietary generalist AI model, and is equipped with a suite of sensors, cameras, and microphones to understand its environment and interact naturally with users through a voice interface.
However, there’s a significant catch for early adopters: Neo is not yet fully autonomous. For complex tasks it doesn’t know, the robot will be remotely controlled by a human “Expert” from 1X. This human-in-the-loop approach is a crucial part of Neo’s learning process. The data gathered from these teleoperated sessions will be used to train the AI, allowing the robot to grow its capabilities over time.
CEO Bernt Børnich was transparent about this requirement, stating that anyone purchasing Neo for its initial 2026 delivery must agree to have a human operator see inside their home through the robot’s cameras.
The Price of the Future
This futuristic assistance comes at a premium. Early adopters can purchase Neo outright for $20,000, which includes priority delivery. A subscription model will also be available for $499 per month. The first units are scheduled to ship to U.S. customers in 2026, with a wider global release planned for 2027.
The launch comes as the humanoid robotics sector experiences an investment boom, with giants like OpenAI, Samsung, and Tiger Global backing 1X. The company has raised over $125 million in the last year and is reportedly seeking up to $1 billion in new funding. This financial backing signals strong confidence in the company’s vision of a future where humanoid robots are an integral part of daily life.
With its ambitious goals and transparent approach to its current limitations, Neo represents a bold step in the journey from robotic research to a commercial product that could one day redefine the meaning of home automation.
