MIT Tech Review: robotics breakthroughs won't change your life any time soon
nordicinst · x · 2026-10-08
A MIT Technology Review collaboration with Aventine asks whether the techniques behind recent AI progress can get robots navigating the world like humans — or whether an entirely new path is needed. Using Tesla Optimus as the case study: Musk calls it possibly "the biggest product ever," aiming at $20,000 humanoids automating nearly all labor with "superhuman dexterity," yet demo videos show it dancing and passing popcorn but also falling while handing out water bottles and struggling to iron a shirt. The verdict is pragmatic: robots are getting smarter, not quicker, and meaningful impact on daily life remains years away.
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