OpenAI-Backed 1X wants to make a humanoid robot work in your home

Tesla, be careful. Robotics startup 1X has introduced its new humanoid robot designed to autonomously perform household tasks using bipedal walking and artificial intelligence.

1X is the latest gamer to try to bring robots into the home, seemingly lifelike and capable of understanding verbal commands, grasping objects, and performing household chores previously only humans could do.

To make this sci-fi vision a reality, 1X announced today that it has secured $100 million in Series B funding. This new funding stream, led by EQT Ventures, is key to the next phase of growth for 1X to assume a leadership role in the burgeoning field of domestic robotics.

“We are thrilled that these leading investors are supporting 1X's mission,” 1X CEO Bernt Øivind Børnich said in a statement. “Our next chapter will be to scale up our data collection strategy for Embodied AI and deliver NEO to consumers.”

NEO is 1X's latest collection of robots. As previously reported by Decrypt, this generation is an upgraded version of the company's previous EV model. With the support of prominent international investors, the company expects to bring to market the second-generation bipedal Android NEO designed for the benefit of consumers.

Designed for domestic assistance, NEO moves robotics technology from industrial and logistics tasks to play a vital role in the domestic sphere.

Genesis of the 1X vision

The 1X journey is driven by its commitment to harnessing the power of AI and robotics to meet the world's labor needs. This combination of AI and robotics attracted the attention of OpenAI, which led an earlier investment round of $23.5 million to help launch the startup.

Expectations around NEO are high.

“With their NEO Android, we are confident that 1X will play a significant role in pioneering the future of technology and humanity,” said Ted Persson of EQT Ventures.

The company's early model EVA has been distributed throughout Europe and the US and has shown remarkable versatility, from security to serving in healthcare settings. EV's design, which has a humanoid head and autonomously moving arms, allows it to perform tasks that were once only possible for humans.

NEO, the latest in the 1X lineup, builds on this foundation. The two-pedal wheel mimics human movement, allowing him to move and communicate effectively in the home environment. Advanced AI integration allows the NEO to adapt and learn from its environment, gradually improving its ability to perform complex household tasks.

AI and robotics and the competition for supremacy

This puts it in direct competition with other major players in the field with 1X the highest fundraising. Tesla is developing a line of humanoid robots known as “Optimus” led by Elon Musk. Recent demonstrations of Optimus have shown off its advanced features, including improved hand movements and a slimmer figure, demonstrating Tesla's commitment to revolutionizing the robotics industry.

And no enthusiast can overlook Boston Dynamics, whose robots have become legendary in the field for their superior mobility and intelligence. These robots are designed for challenging environments ranging from industrial plants to distribution centers that demonstrate the capabilities of various robotics technologies.

Edited by Ryan Ozawa.