Inside 1x's plan to test humanoids in homes
Berndt Børnich, founder and CEO of 1X, explains the company's strategy to deploy the NEO Beta humanoid robot in homes to gather diverse real-world data for AI training, arguing that home deployment is necessary to achieve the scale and data diversity required for general-purpose intelligence. He details the robot's design principles, which prioritize inherent safety through low-energy, compliant mechanics and soft materials to ensure it is safe for human interaction, contrasting this with industrial robots. The discussion covers the challenges of regulatory compliance, the importance of public perception, and the broader societal impact of labor abundance through robotics.