When I saw the $16,000 Unitree Robotics G1 above, I quickly fantasized about AI humanoid robots of the future. I said I’d love to have such a robot integrated into my smart home to assist me with most of the chores I do routinely around the house.
Advancements in AI would let the robot understand voice commands with ease. I’d just speak to it like I talk to people. Advanced algorithms would also allow the robot to interact with other smart devices in the home and with physical objects to perform actual chores.
I said at the time that I hoped big tech companies would develop their own AI humanoid robots. I mentioned Apple specifically, as I’ve long used Apple’s entire ecosystem. By the time the company produces a humanoid robot, I’ll be well accustomed to Apple Intelligence on the iPhone and other Apple devices.
It turns out that Apple is already considering such robots, though it’s too early to talk about release plans.
The rumor comes from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who released a new Power On newsletter over the weekend focusing on Apple’s robotics plans.
Gurman says that Apple is still looking for a breakthrough product after shutting down the Apple Car project. That would have been a “giant rolling robot,” so robotics might be a natural evolution of that project, especially in the age of AI.
Gurman’s earlier reports said that Apple wants to release a robot for the home that would essentially be an iPad that can follow you around. That device would cost around $1,000 and launch in 2026 or 2027. However, the purpose of this robot is simply to make the computer more accessible to you in conditions where you don’t necessarily want to touch the tablet or pick it up.
This device isn’t the AI humanoid robot that I’m dreaming of. The robot that would do chores around the house for me. But Gurman says that Apple is already considering such ideas:
Someday, an Apple robot could go further. Apple has envisioned machines that can do household chores — like loading up a laundry machine or scrubbing down dirty plates — but that’s still so far in the future that the ideas don’t go beyond sketches on a whiteboard.
These humanoid robots might not be ready until the next decade, assuming Apple wants to go there. But advancements in AI will certainly help make a case for such a product.
Apple is reportedly working on a new personality for its devices beyond Siri. This would be a “humanlike interface based on generative AI.” It could run on the upcoming tabletop iPad robot and other products. I assume this personality would be the equivalent of ChatGPT Voice Mode and Gemini Live.
AI models like these would certainly benefit from a body. Putting these personalities inside humanoid robots seems like the obvious thing to do. But it’s easier said than done.
Apple can repurpose plenty of engineers previously working on the smart car project. But it might take years to develop a dependable AI humanoid robot that can easily navigate a home and perform chores for humans. These products will be incredibly sophisticated. Therefore, they’ll be expensive to build. And they won’t be cheap for buyers. Just look at the robot in the image above, which is selling for $16,000. It’s hardly the robot I’d want for a smart home, but it’s quite expensive.
