1X aims to pilot humanoid robots in hundreds of homes by 2025
Neo Gamma: The Home‑Dwell‑Robot Revolution is on the Horizon
What we know:
- 1X, a Norwegian robotics startup, plans to drop Neo Gamma into “a few hundred to a few thousand” homes by the end of 2025.
- CEO Bernt Børnich said this during a chat with TechCrunch at Nvidia GTC 2025.
- Neo Gamma is designed to live, learn, and adapt right inside your living room.
The Call for Home‑Test Warriors
Børnich is looking for “early adopters” who believe the future can start at the dining table. “If you bring Neo Gamma home and let it mingle with your family, it will learn how we humans like to dance, cook, and binge‑watch shows,” he mused. He hopes strangers will become the robot’s first teachers.
Rivalry in the Bay Area
A San‑Francisco based rival called Figure entered the same arena just last month, announcing it would also begin home trials in 2025. Bloomberg tipped that Figure could raise $1.5 B at a mind‑blowing $40 B valuation— a level that would outshine almost every tech startup out there.
OpenAI’s Quiet Ambition
OpenAI, one of 1X’s investors, is reportedly eyeing its own humanoid project. Rumor says they’re not just trying to fund the next big thing—they’re thinking about building it themselves.
It’s Heavy Metal, It’s Home… and It’s Not Yet Fully Autonomous
Contrary to some lay‑person fantasies, Neo Gamma isn’t a fully self‑floating, video‑game‑like entity ready to set up a restaurant from scratch. The robot can walk and balance thanks to AI, but it’s still clunky around the “repeat take my left arm and do this” moment.
To make home tests feasible, 1X has turned to remote teleoperators. Think of them as astronauts watching traffic cams in real time—only with hands that steer Neo Gamma legs, arms, and head. These operators sit far away, but they can view the robot’s onboard cameras, read its sensor data, and sprinkle a human touch over its movements.
While the project buzzes with high hopes and the promise of the future flashing on every social feed, Børnich remains down‑to‑earth. “We’re not at the stage where we’re selling a piece‑of‑easier-life bus‑depot service,” he told us. “Still, we’re obsessed with making this thing work in a living room, and for that we need real people to step up.”
Why It Matters
- Like autonomous cars, household robots can turn a small glitch into big trouble.
- Deploying metal‑made minds inside homes is a new frontier, and it’s still a hot‑spot for innovation and risk.
- The sooner we get IRL feedback, the sharper the robots become.
So, keep an eye out. 2025 might just bring a robot that can make your coffee, help fold towels, and occasionally threaten to start a robot uprising in your living room.
Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda
Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital, Elad Gil — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $600+ before prices rise.
Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda
Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise.
Home‑Tested Hero of 2025: Neo Gamma Makes Your Living Room Shine
Early‑adopter enthusiasts, grab your thumb‑tapping approval! The newest bipedal bot, Neo Gamma, is gearing up for a Christmas‑style cabin drop—except this time, the cabin is your home.
1X’s Plan to Build the Best AI in Silicone
These in‑home trials mean 1X isn’t just tossing a robot on your living room floor and hoping for the best. They’re collecting data from microphones and cameras inside your house to train their AI models – all in the name of making Neo Gamma smarter.
- OpenAI‑Powered — the backing that gives their core tech credibility.
- In‑House Training — 1X does most of the heavy lifting themselves, with occasional partner brainstorming with OpenAI or Nvidia.
- Privacy Controls — customers decide when a 1X employee can peek at the robot’s surroundings for help or checks.
Rosy Goals: Safety and Smarts
Unveiled in February, Neo Beta lived in the lab; Neo Gamma brings that bipedal dream into your foyer. Neck‑deep in improved AI and a knitted nylon suit, the robot is built to keep human limbs and limbs from getting tangled.
Picture this: “Our sweater robot (photo from @ZeffMax) will be your friendly household aide,” the company says. The suit is less “u‑tility dashing” and more “Anna Karenina meets the future.”
Demonstration Showdowns
At Google’s GTC, Neo Gamma made a splash in a demo living room. The bot vacuumed like a robot turntable, watered plants like a sap‑sensing artist, and sauntered around without tripping over your sofa. Only, folks, the Wi‑Fi was spotty and the battery was low. The result? The robot shook, then collapsed into Børnich’s arms—a touchdown worthy of a sitcom episode.
The Great Unknown: How It Works at Home
The company hasn’t teed out the full “how‑to” guide. A waitlist exists online, and the promise of a clearer, “more thorough explanation” in the future keeps the anticipation high. Some doubt remains: can we actually let a robot run around our living rooms without the safety net of a human operator? Probably not until the next decade.
What’s Next?
For now, a few hundred—maybe even a few thousand—people will get the chance to try this early human‑assisted version of Neo Gamma within the year. But for the dream of buying a fully autonomous humanoid robot off the shelf? We’re still years away. Until then, enjoy the anticipation and the occasional merry mishap.
