Household work robots could be a reality within a decade

The idea of robots for household work has long been fantasized about in movies and shows dating as far back as the 1920s. However, according to a new report from the BBC, these robots may not be far from reality as Geordie Rose, the CEO of Sanctuary AI, believes that the rapid pace of technological advancements in AI is propelling us toward a future where humanoid robots will be a common sight.

This bold prediction stems from Sanctuary AI’s next humanoid robot called Phoenix, which aims to be an intelligent machine capable of understanding human needs and executing complex tasks. In a trial conducted in March 2023, the company deployed Phoenix in a store in Vancouver, where the robot performed over 110 retail-related tasks, including picking and packaging merchandise, labelling, tagging, folding, and tidying up the store.

Moreover, the fact that Phoenix was able to handle plastic bags, a task notoriously challenging for robots due to the bags’ flexible and transparent nature, suggests that this tech could soon find its way into more commercial applications.

How is Sanctuary AI training its robots?

When asked about the training process, Rose explained that the company, in collaboration with various businesses, has developed a unique system where they film specific tasks and digitize the entire process. Using this data, the company creates a virtual environment that not only replicates objects but also simulates the physical laws governing them, such as gravity and resistance. Once completed, the AI practices these tasks in the virtual world until it attains the required levels of proficiency.

Despite all the rigorous training, Rose highlighted that one of the most significant challenges in developing Phoenix lies in providing it with a sense of touch to handle objects effectively. This is because robots cannot yet differentiate between fragile objects, and this leads to a plethora of problems.

Will these robots replace humans?

While the tech behind Phoenix is an impressive development, whether these robots will ever be able to replace humans is a question that has been a subject of debate for years now. However, if the development is successful, their capacity to perform a wide range of general-purpose tasks could be a significant blow to the human workforce.

Rose predicts that robots of Phoenix’s calibre will soon become commonplace. “The long-term total addressable market is the biggest one that’s ever existed in the history of business and technology – which is the labour market. It’s all of the things we want done,” said Rose.