Nvidia, the $3 trillion AI chip giant, is betting on robotics as the next big thing. Next year, they’ll launch the Jetson Thor, a new “brain” designed for robots. The Jetson line includes this teeny-tiny AI computer. The robotics biz is expected to jump from $78 billion to $165 billion by 2029. I want one! Do you?
Meet your future robot coworker
Humanoid robots have come a long way. In 2000, Honda’s $2.5 million ASIMO could barely shuffle along at 1 mph. Now, robots are running, flipping and handling customer service. Let’s dive into the robot revolution.
🦾 Why humanoid bots?
Most robots are one-trick ponies — great at one task but useless everywhere else. The problem? Our world isn’t built for machines; it’s built for us. We climb stairs, twist off bottle caps and reach shelves designed for human hands.
Crack the code on robots that move and think like us, and suddenly, they can slot into any job. That’s why Elon Musk thinks his Optimus robots could pull in $10 trillion.
They’ll do anything from mowing your lawn to babysitting. He wants to make several thousand this year. Expect to shell out $20,000 to $30,000 for one.
🤖 Who’s your da-ta?
Education: Van Robotics got turned away by Shark Tank in 2020. Now, their $5,000 robot tutor, ABii, is helping kids learn reading and math in 36 states and seven countries. It’s just 18 inches tall and sits right on your desk. Perfect for eye level.
Health care: Moxi robots make over a million deliveries at 31 hospitals. They’ve saved staff over 1.5 billion steps and 575,000 hours carrying meds and lab samples. The $11,625 a month each is covered by grants.
Hospitality: In Spain, there are the nearly $100K Kime bartenders that whip up 180 drinks an hour. Meanwhile, Japanese restaurant chain Skylark has around 3,000 cat-eared robots delivering food to tables. They might’ve taken up to 15,000 human jobs.
Logistics: Agility Robotics’ 5-foot-9-inch Digit lifts up to 35 pounds. It’s the only robot you can actually buy for warehouses and factories. Companies are paying $30 an hour for ’em. That’s around $62,400 a year, assuming it’s working 40 hours a week.
Security: The $150,000 Eve bots, funded by OpenAI, are doing security duty at a couple of industrial sites. Let’s hope no intruders can outrun its top speed of 9.8 mph.
🏠 Robot, come here
Teens make $1M selling junk on Facebook — April 19th, Hour 3
Can your trash make you rich? Two high schoolers flipped junk from the dump into over $1 million on Facebook Marketplace. Plus, OpenAI drops $10 million on a domain, window-washing robots are here, and stores are using weather data to time their discounts.
🚗 Toyota’s Robo-glow-up: Google’s Waymo is teaming up with Toyota to explore self-driving tech in your own car, not just ride-hailing fleets. It’s all still “preliminary,” but (allegedly) the goal is future personal robo-car vibes, not just robots that pick you up and hold you hostage.
10,000 hours
Saved by Chick-fil-A’s lemon-squeezing robots. Their giant California factory churns through 1.6 million pounds of lemons a day in just 45 minutes. Talk about poultry in motion.
Kim Kardashian hangs out with $30K Tesla robot
🤖 Kim’s new BFF: Kim Kardashian’s showing off her new Tesla robot on X and Instagram. In one clip, she makes half of a heart with her hand and the bot completes it. In another, she teaches it to blow a kiss and tries the game Rock, Paper, Scissors. Optimus goes into full production by 2026 for $20,000 to $30,000 a pop. I wonder if another Kim K. can get a freebie …
📢 Government drone testing is back: The FAA says don’t panic if you see them swarming New Jersey skies. They’re testing over 100 drones through April 25. It’s apparently to improve drone detection and to make sure they don’t mess with aircraft navigation. New Mexico, North Dakota and Mississippi, you’re up next. Don’t worry, it’s just 100 flying robots stress-testing your paranoia.
The robots are coming
Nvidia’s CEO says human-like robots are less than five years away. They’ll walk, talk, and maybe even take your job. Scared?
🤖 Google announced new AI models for robots: Now, they have fine motor skills to handle delicate and precise tasks. Here’s a video of the little guys placing a banana in a container and folding origami. It’s still early in testing, but definitely exciting stuff!
Creepy or cool? 3 human-like robots you have to see
Wouldn’t it be great to have your own robot butler? That future is closer than you think. Some of these robots are almost too real! Plus, your boss might be spying on you, and TikTokers are smashing their own feet for views.
The agony of de-feet: Beijing is hosting the world’s first human-robot marathon in April. Picture this: 12,000 human runners competing alongside humanoid robots, all vying for cash prizes awarded to the top three finishes. The catch? The robots must look human and use bipedal legs to walk or run; wheels are strictly forbidden.
Look to Japan: There’s a global nursing shortage, and in Japan, they’ve come up with a solution. Nursing homes there are using robots for tasks like moving patients and monitoring vitals. So far, it’s a win for everyone.
🤖 Everyone thinks it’s the guys who want it more: Futurist Dr. Ian Pearson says nope, women will lead the sex robot craze. Given that human-like bots cost over $15,000, Pearson thinks it’ll be 2050 before people are doing it more with affordable robots than humans. Btw, his past predictions have an 85% accuracy rate. I know what some of you are thinking: “And I don’t need to pick up his dirty underwear!”
Your very own Rosey: Nvidia, the $3 trillion AI chip giant, is betting on robotics as the next big thing. Soon, they’re launching the Jetson Thor, a new “brain” designed for robots. The Jetson line includes this teeny-tiny AI computer. The robotics biz is expected to jump from $78 billion to $165 billion by 2029. I want one! Do you?
So bloody amazing: Robots have been helping surgeons for years. Now they’re leveling up just by watching videos. Bots from Johns Hopkins and Stanford can tie knots, suture wounds, pick up dropped needles and even work on animal cadavers. They could help fill the surgeon shortage that’s expected to hit up to 20,000 by 2036.
This is just bizarre: In Berlin, AI sex robots are stepping in for prostitutes, and they’re anything but shy. One bot, Kokeshi, is described as smelling like summer rain and tasting like peaches, but here’s the twist: She also has a personality. Her owner directs her actions through cameras and mics while she performs and whispers clients’ names. Wow, talk about customer satisfaction.
AI window-washing robots make their U.S. debut in Dallas
🧽 Window washing 2.0: Cleaning high-rise windows is risky work, but a spider-like AI robot is about to change that. Named after those gravity-defying mountain goats, Ibex only needs a button press to get to work. It climbs buildings, using cameras and sensors to scan surfaces, dodge window frames and leave no spot untouched. The robots are already in Texas, so don’t be surprised if they pop up everywhere soon.