Robot hardware only needs median human ability to automate most physical jobs
amelia__michael · x · 2026-11-05
Amelia Michael argues against a common framing: while intellectual jobs have a long tail requiring exceptional ability, few physical jobs demand exceptional physical ability. Robot hardware therefore only needs to reach roughly median human strength and dexterity—not exceed it—to automate most physical work. She illustrates with painting: it requires task knowledge but not extreme raw physical ability (disabled artists paint well using mouth or foot). Herbie Bradley counters with Moravec's paradox: human motor skill is highly evolved, and machine dexterity has proven far harder to build than machine intelligence.
Related event: Robots May Only Need Median Human Skills to Automate Most Physical Labor(4 posts)→