Famed Robotics Expert Warns: Billions Invested in Humanoid Robot Startups Are Going to Waste
Rodney Brooks on the Limits of Humanoid Robotics
Rodney Brooks — renowned robotics expert, co-founder of iRobot, and longtime MIT professor — has often been skeptical of the current hype around humanoid robots and AI. He is particularly critical of companies like Tesla and Figure that try to teach robots dexterous manipulation by having them watch human task videos, calling this approach “pure fantasy.”
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Why Brooks Says It Won’t Work
The core issue:
- The human hand is incredibly complex, with about 17,000 specialized tactile receptors.
- No robot comes close to replicating this capability.
- Machine learning breakthroughs in speech and vision relied on decades of technology for capturing quality data — tactile sensing lacks such history.
Brooks emphasizes: “In tactile data, we have no such accumulation.”
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Energy and Safety Concerns
- Humanoid robots burn vast energy just staying upright.
- Falling robots can be dangerous — doubling robot size multiplies fall impact energy by 8×.
- Brooks predicts that in 15 years, successful “humanoid” robots will:
- Ride on wheels
- Use multiple mechanical arms
- Employ specialized sensors
- Abandon the human form
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Skepticism Beyond Robotics: AI Reality Check
Brooks has long warned against overhyping AI capabilities:
- Generative AI, he argues, often increases workloads rather than reducing them.
- Example: Non-profit METR’s 2024 study found:
- AI tools increased completion time by 19%.
- Developers believed productivity rose by 20%, showing a perception gap.
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The Big Tech Influence in Robotics
Despite Brooks’ warnings, big tech remains deeply involved:
- Apptronik: Raised ~$450M; partnered with Google DeepMind in late 2024.
- Figure: Backed by Microsoft and OpenAI Startup Fund.
- Partnered with OpenAI in Feb 2024.
- Split in Mar 2025; claims “significant breakthroughs” with its own AI.
- Announced over $1B funding this month with a $39B valuation.
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Balancing Ambition with Technical Reality
Brooks’ skepticism raises a crucial question:
How can creators & innovators align ambition with realistic technical progress?
Example: AiToEarn Platform
AiToEarn官网 demonstrates a practical AI model:
- Generate, publish, and monetize AI content globally.
- Cross-platform distribution to: Douyin, Kwai, WeChat, Bilibili, Rednote, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, YouTube, Pinterest, and X.
- Integrates analytics and AI model rankings (AI模型排名).
By focusing on scalable AI creativity, AiToEarn offers a grounded approach compared to speculative robotics.
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Today’s Recommended Reads
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- A dropout wave? 19–20-year-olds “escape” classrooms to start AI companies
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