It was an attention-grabbing 12 months for robots at CES 2025. Whereas we had hoped the AI increase would convey a brand new wave of helpful robots to the present, evidently many robotics corporations are nonetheless determining precisely how one can greatest use AI.
What we discovered as an alternative was a mixture of lovable robotic companions, unusual ideas and one, barely terrifying humanoid. We visited numerous robots at CES and, for higher or worse, some actually left an impression on us. These are those that stood out probably the most.
TCL Ai Me
Of all of the surprisingly lovable robots we noticed at CES, TCL’s Ai Me (pronounced “Amy”) was one of many cutest. The concept was on show at TCL’s sales space delighting and bewildering everybody who walked by. With a voice and eyes that are supposed to sound like an precise human little one, TCL appears to be pitching this as an emotional assist/companion robotic for teenagers. On the sales space, Ai Me wasn’t doing a lot moreover transferring round in its wheeled, egg-shaped base, however the firm says that the AI-powered robotic could possibly be used to manage sensible house gadgets or file vlogs, because of built-cameras and AI capabilities.
For now, it’s unclear if TCL really plans to promote this factor, however the firm appeared to have put fairly a little bit of effort into its CES demo. Along with the one slowly wheeling round a mock-up lounge, TCL confirmed off a lineup of various outfits, together with fuzzy bunny fits and a denim vest, for Ai Me. -Karissa Bell
Ropet
As we walked over to the Ropet sales space, an individual was waving a plastic hotdog in front of the little robot and small cartoon hotdogs flashed throughout its eyes in response. I used to be just about offered at that second, however it turned out to have another fairly attention-grabbing issues happening too. Ropet responds to voice, contact and gestures, and has its personal cute little emotional reactions. It’s conversational if you need it to be, with ChatGPT integration. Principally it’s simply lovable. -Cheyenne MacDonald
Mirumi
Mirumi is a kind of CES oddities that makes you concurrently go, “What the hell is that this?” and, “Omg I like this.” It’s small, fluffy and has no other purpose than to make you smile by wanting round and looking at you want an harmless child. I instantly felt the necessity to shield it with my life. — CM
Romi
Romi is a conversational robotic that matches within the palm of your hand and is right here for you if you wish to chat, vent or simply hang around. The most recent mannequin of the robotic turned up at Unveiled, and we couldn’t assist however be charmed by its cute facial expressions. It suits properly in your fingers, so you possibly can carry it round the home with you whilst you stroll round complaining about your workday. -CM
Miroki
Miroki was at CES final 12 months, however the Enchanted Instruments staff was again displaying off the most recent model and a few new abilities, together with LLM integration. In case you had been in a position to battle by the gang surrounding it to rise up shut, you’ll have seen it rolling round waving at individuals, blinking its large cartoon eyes and flicking its ears like a deer. Undecided on whether or not it’s cute or a bit of unnerving. -CM
Scorpion
Undecided which had a much bigger presence at #CES2025, robots or "APT." pic.twitter.com/NLZWey94dI
— Engadget (@engadget) January 10, 2025
Scorpion is an AI bartender from Richtech Robotics that sadly wasn’t slinging drinks after we noticed it (or scuttling round, apparently it doesn’t try this), however did carry out a synchronized dance to “Apt.” with the corporate’s Adam bot. Come for the arthropodal robotic, keep for the Okay-pop. -CM
Unitree G1 and "Robotic Canine"
Of all of the robots we noticed at CES 2025, Unitree’s take the prize for many terrifying. The corporate was displaying off its new quadruped “robot dog” and humanoid G1 robots. The quadruped, which is actually their tackle Boston Dynamic’s Spot robotic, confirmed off to onlookers by operating across the sales space, climbing stairs and sitting on its “hind legs.”
But it surely was the G1 that proved to be the robotic we wanted to fret about. I used to be taking images of the roughly 4-foot tall humanoid when it all of a sudden ran at me full-speed. I used to be solely a foot or so in entrance of it on the time because of the crowd within the sales space, so the roughly 60-pound G1 slammed straight into my physique at an all out run. The encompassing crowd meant I used to be primarily pinned in place for a number of seconds whereas the robotic continued to try to run by me till its operator was in a position to regain management. Thankfully, this was a case of consumer error and never the start of a robotic rebellion. The individual holding the gamepad-like controller for the robotic had mistakenly mashed the joystick, sending it straight into my physique. No less than I can now say I do know what it feels prefer to be physique slammed by a robotic. -KB
Mi-Mo
One of many extra uncommon robots we noticed at CES, Mi-Mo is a six-legged table with a lamp on top. We didn’t see Mi-Mo do a lot moreover shimmy across the present flooring and “wave,” however there are some actually attention-grabbing concepts behind the AI-powered robotic. It runs on a number of giant language fashions and "thinks and acts" based mostly on its setting. Its creators say it might assist with childcare and eldercare duties. Mi-Mo might be accessible to builders and researchers as a dev package later this 12 months. -KB
Reachy 2
Pollen Robotics was right here at CES displaying off Reachy 2, it’s newest machine that’ll price you $75,000 you probably have that kind of money laying round. It’s an lovable open-source machine with a human pilot that, its makers say, is good for tele-operation and knowledge acquisition. I simply assume it’s cute, particularly when it waves at you. -Daniel Cooper
Extra reporting by Daniel Cooper.
This text initially appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/house/smart-home/the-robots-we-saw-at-ces-2025-the-good-the-bad-and-the-completely-unhinged-174529774.html?src=rss
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