Someone Please Pour a Cold Bucket on NEO

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Last week, NEO set the internet on fire.
And no, I’m not talking about that Neo, not the one dodging bullets in slow motion.
This one comes from a company called 1X, and instead of saving humanity, it promises to fold your laundry.

They dropped it quietly. No fireworks, no red pills, just a “preorder now” button.
For $20,000, you can reserve your own humanoid companion, scheduled to arrive in 2026.
Unless, of course, you live outside the U.S., in that case, enjoy your wait.
Oh, and you can pick one of three colors. Because that’s what everyone worries about when buying a robot servant: whether it matches the kitchen tiles.

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So far, so good. Except 2026 is basically tomorrow.
And all we’ve seen from 1X are glossy promo videos, polished until they squeak.
Promises are flying higher than drones, but facts? Nowhere to land.

I have a feeling 2026 will come, and those robots won’t.
Because we’re still struggling to hit Level 5 autonomy, the holy grail where machines actually function in the chaos of a human home.
Meanwhile, people online are dreaming big: “I want my NEO to make kale smoothies.”
Sure. And I want my toaster to write poetry.

The problem with humanoids is that their shape tricks us into expecting too much.
We see a body and think, “Ah, it can do everything I can.”
But that’s like looking at a goldfish and expecting it to juggle.

So what’s the real play here?
Dropping the NEO news might be less about innovation and more about investor seduction.
A little PR sugar rush to keep the money flowing.

And I genuinely hope I’m wrong.
Because otherwise, two things will suffer:

1. Their reputation, if the shiny dream collapses into a missed deadline.

2. Their customers, who might end up hugging an expensive, half-baked plush toy instead of a household helper.

So, dear NEO, you’ve lit up the internet like a bonfire.
But maybe it’s time we pour a bucket of cold water on the hype.

Cheers,
Jacek