Comment by bandrami
19 hours ago
Same thing with the weird push towards humanoid robots.
"They can do anything!"
Sure, once you subscribe to the $15/mo laundry package, the $25/mo lawn care package (with the $10/mo hedge trimmer upgrade), and the $10/mo dog-walking package.
And in the end the big reveal is, it was a dude in VR all along, piloting the dumb things remotely. Every single time, without exception.
I think it’s just riding off LLM coattails.
We don’t have good world models. We have had bipedal robotics in various POC demo-ready forms for decades.
It turns out that industrial, purpose build robotics is an easier and better market.
I’m still not completely convinced a robot that’s shaped like a human is the best design other than for PR.
I remember nearly losing my mind at that stupid conveyor belt sorting demonstation because
1. The human beat the robot, but more importantly
2. We've had non-humanoid conveyor belt sorting machinery for decades that beats both
When we are stabbed to death by impoverished dudes who are piloting a robot worth more than a decade of their income to do household chores for 16 hours a day, we will deserve it.