You might own a humanoid robot butler in 5 years, but will it be useful? Expert makes bizarre prediction
The promise of
robot butlers
has long been a staple of science fiction, but according to a robotics expert, the fantasy might be arriving sooner than we think—albeit with a strangely anticlimactic twist. As
artificial intelligence
evolves at breakneck speed and
robotics technology
begins to mimic human motion with eerie precision, companies like Tesla are unveiling
humanoid robots
that can walk, bend, and move with uncanny realism.
Elon Musk
's 'Optimus' bot is among the most high-profile of these prototypes, raising eyebrows and expectations alike.
But the road from tech demo to domestic help may be far more disappointing than most imagine.
From Sci-Fi to Side Show?
Romain Moulin
, founder of robotics company
Exotec
, believes that humanoid robot butlers will become commercially available within the next five years—at least for the ultra-rich who can afford them. These high-end machines, he says, will be capable of tasks like sweeping floors or carrying objects. However, there's a catch big enough to short-circuit your excitement.
As per a report from
Metro
, according to Moulin, the robots may only function effectively for about ten minutes at a time before needing to recharge, thanks to their high power consumption and complex mechanics. In his words, these bots might serve more as dinner party novelties than actual household staff.
'It will be sitting in a corner of the room. You will have some friends over and you will tell that humanoid robot, 'Please clean my floor,'' Moulin explained. 'It will pick up a broom and start cleaning, and then go back and sit on its chair charging, because it has ten minutes of autonomy.'
You Might Also Like:
Have robots learned how to fight, literally? World's first humanoid kickboxing match leaves viewers awestruck and uneasy
A Power Problem and a Safety Risk
The limitations don't stop at battery life. Moulin warns that the more strength and functionality we pack into these robots, the more dangerous they become. Legs alone on a humanoid robot might weigh over 40 kilograms—more than enough to injure someone if something goes wrong. Add more capacity for lifting or multitasking, and the safety risks escalate dramatically.
'There's a big concern,' Moulin said. 'If you want a robot that can lift heavy things like a human, you're also creating more potential to hurt someone. That's the trade-off nobody's talking about.'
Legs vs. Wheels: The Aesthetic Illusion
There's also a fierce debate brewing within the robotics community: Should humanoid robots even have legs? Moulin argues that wheels make far more sense in controlled environments like factories, where efficiency matters more than mimicry. Legs, he contends, are only practical in settings dominated by human-centric architecture—homes, hospitals, or restaurants—where steps, narrow doorways, and uneven terrain can trip up wheeled designs.
But even in those cases, Moulin is skeptical. The push for bipedal robots is often about visual appeal rather than functionality. 'Legs look cool,' he said, 'but in many environments, they're just a waste of money.'
You Might Also Like:
AI humanoid robot winks and denies world domination; but can we trust the sweet talk?
The Future Is Closer—But Stranger—Than You Think
With many companies investing heavily in humanoid robots, it's clear that the race to bring AI-powered helpers into homes is on. But if Moulin's predictions prove true, the first generation of robot butlers might not revolutionize your life—they might simply be the world's most expensive party trick.
So yes, your robot butler could arrive within five years. Just don't be surprised if it spends more time plugged into a wall than picking up after you.
You Might Also Like:
Legendary sci-fi writer's chilling AI prediction resurfaces: 'Robots will turn organic as humans become machines'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Elon Musk wants to retrain XAI's chatbot Grok to clear 'ChatGPT's woke' and .... Garbage
Representative Image Elon Musk the founder of xAI has said that he will retrain his artificial intelligence chatbot and ChatGPT rival Grok . Musk took to X (formerly known as Twitter) and shared a post stating that he will be removing what he terms "ChatGPT's woke" biases and other "garbage" from the foundational knowledge of Grok. Elon Musk to retrain chatbot Grok In a series of posts shared on X, Elon Musk announced that the upcoming version of Grok likely to be called as Grok 4 will trained on the revised information curated by Grok 3.5's advanced reasoning capabilities. 'We will use Grok 3.5… to rewrite the entire corpus of human knowledge, adding missing information and deleting errors,' Musk wrote, adding that current AI models are trained on 'far too much garbage'. This move from Elon Musk comes after his repeated criticism of rival AI model — ChatGPT. Musk has criticised ChatGPT for what he perceives as a "woke mind virus" or ideological slant in their responses. Musk has also asked the users to submit their 'divisive facts' which will be used in the retraining of Grok. 'Please reply to this post with divisive facts for @Grok training. By this I mean things that are politically incorrect, but nonetheless factually true', wrote Musk. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Elon Musk's xAI issues clarification on Grok's responses on white genocide Recently, some X users reported that Grok repeatedly generated responses referring to the theory of "white genocide" in South Africa. Users who tagged @grok in posts about sports, entertainment, and general topics received replies discussing racial violence in South Africa, including references to the anti-apartheid chant 'Kill the Boer'. After this, Elon Musk's xAI issued a clarification for this incident. In a statement shared on X, xAI said that the modification in Grok violated the internal policies and core values, leading the chatbot to repeatedly reference politically sensitive topics. The company stated that the change was detected and reversed promptly, though it did not disclose who was responsible for the alteration.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
World's first mass-market electric car, Leaf EV gets a major makeover. Can it save Nissan?
Nissan Leaf has received a major makeover, giving the EV a significant rejuvenation, with an aim to boost the OEM's electric mobility ambition and its own existence. Check Offers Nissan has unveiled the new Leaf EV, which happens to be the latest avatar of the world's first mass-market electric car. From the Nissan Leaf's first entry into the showrooms in 2010 as a mass market EV pioneer to going laggard, the car has witnessed a lot of ups and downs. The Japanese carmaker has brought the third-generation Leaf EV with a major upgrade, not only on the design front, but also on the performance segment. As befits the truckification of the global car markets, the Nissan Leaf EV follows the trend. It is no longer a compact hatchback suitable for zipping through city traffic, but now comes as a compact SUV or, more accurately, a crossover utility electric vehicle built on passenger-vehicle underpinnings. It looks more like the Nissan Ariya, the larger crossover of the brand. Nissan Leaf was the world's best-selling EV for years until it was overtaken by Tesla. Introduced by the then Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn, it heralded the automaker's desire to play a major role in the global electric vehicle industry. Despite the company's troubles in recent years, the OEM has sold almost 700,000 Leaf EVs. The new generation Nissan Leaf promises a range of up to 487 kilometres on a full charge. Nissan claims that the 75 kWh battery pack onboard the electric crossover is capable of churning out 214 bhp peak power and 354 Nm of maximum torque. The front-wheel driving electric motor is the only option now for the buyers of the all-new third-generation Nissan Leaf. Despite the tall and utility vehicle guise of the EV, an all-wheel-drive (AWD) setup is not on the card, at least as of now. Nissan claims that the new Leaf can charge at up to 150 kW, with fast-charging from 10 to 80 per cent in 35 minutes under ideal conditions. It gets a dual charging port, on each side of the EV, which is uncommon outside higher-end models like the Porsche Taycan. In a nutshell, Nissan introduced the new Leaf at a time when the global electric passenger vehicle industry is witnessing a challenging phase. Also, it is a turbulent time for Nissan as well. Nissan Leaf EV: Crucial for brand's Re:Nissan strategy Nissan President and CEO Ivan Espinosa has said the new Leaf EV is a key part of the Japanese automaker's Re:Nissan plan, which aims to pull itself out of the OEM's current predicament and reestablish the brand as an EV leader. 'The Nissan Leaf reflects our commitment to innovation and sustainability," he said, further adding, 'The original Leaf helped popularise electric vehicles, and this third generation invites consumers to embrace an EV lifestyle with a range of compelling features. It plays an important role in our Re:Nissan action plan, offering impressive performance, stylish design, and advanced technology." Nissan Leaf EV: Right product, but wrong time? The global electric car market has been witnessing a challenging phase in recent times. Over the last couple of months, the global electric vehicle sales have been witnessing a slowdown in growth pace. This situation has propelled many major automakers around the world to shift their EV strategies or postpone their electric vehicle launch plans. In fact, many car buyers have shifted their attention towards hybrid vehicles instead of considering pure electric models. Bringing a new product at this time, and that too when Nissan has been sailing through turbulent waters, could be tricky. Further making the water murky are factors such as tariff war, supply chain disruptions, roll back of EV subsidy by the US government, etc. Bloomberg has quoted financial analyst Koji Endo of SBI Securities that there is a high possibility that the new Nissan Leaf is going on sale at the worst possible time, given the imposition of tariffs and the US government's rollback of EV subsidies. "If the new Leaf doesn't sell, it will mean big trouble for Nissan," Endo reportedly said. Check out Upcoming EV Cars in India. First Published Date: 22 Jun 2025, 12:04 PM IST
Hans India
2 hours ago
- Hans India
Perplexity AI's chatbot now generates videos on X: Here's how it works
Perplexity AI, the fast-rising search startup challenging Google, has added a powerful new feature to its chatbot on X (formerly Twitter)—AI-generated videos. The feature, available via the @AskPerplexity account, allows users to tag the bot with a short prompt and receive an eight-second video complete with sound, visuals, and even dialogue. While the rollout has boosted engagement and creativity on the Elon Musk-owned platform, it has also triggered concerns over the potential spread of misinformation. X has already faced criticism for weak content moderation, and this new tool—though equipped with Perplexity's 'strong content filters'—may add fuel to the fire. The rivalry is heating up between AskPerplexity and Grok, the AI chatbot built by Musk's xAI. While Grok remains text-based for now, Perplexity's leap into video puts it a step ahead in terms of media capabilities. Soon after launch, users began flooding X with imaginative AI-generated video content, including fictional depictions of public figures and events. The surge caused delays in video delivery, with the @AskPerplexity account humorously posting, 'Some of y'all need help,' in response to the overwhelming number of video requests. In addition to expanding on X, Perplexity has been rolling out its services on WhatsApp. Since April, users can interact with the chatbot by saving +1 (833) 436-3285 to their contacts and messaging it directly—no separate app or signup required. The tool works across smartphones, PCs, Macs, and WhatsApp Web. Meanwhile, the company's ambitions go beyond social media. Perplexity is also developing its own browser, Comet, aiming to rival Google Chrome in the web browsing space. However, not all the news is positive. The BBC recently accused Perplexity of using its content to train its AI models without permission and threatened legal action. The broadcaster demanded the deletion of any scraped data, a halt to unauthorized use, and compensation. Perplexity responded sharply, calling the claims 'manipulative and opportunistic,' stating that BBC misunderstood how AI and the internet work. As Perplexity pushes the boundaries of AI-powered search and media, the road ahead includes both innovation and intense scrutiny.
