NEO humanoid robot company plans to release 100,000 units by late 2027

The company behind NEO, last year’s viral humanoid robot, says it’s ramping up production — aiming to build 100,000 units annually by the end of 2027.

1x, the Palo Alto, California-based company that manufactures the robots, said the machines will be built at its Hayward factory about 27 miles from San Francisco, according to a news release on Thursday, April 30.

The company launched NEO for $20,000 a pop in October. In five days, the company booked its entire production capacity for the year — 10,000 units.

The first NEOs will be delivered to owners this year, 1x said, warning that the timeline might take longer than expected.

"Some of you will get your NEO this year, some will get them later," the company said. "We promised the first NEOs would ship in 2026, and we’re keeping that promise."

By combining capabilities at its Hayward factory and San Carlos facility, set to open later this year, 1x expects to produce 10,000 NEOs per year. The company's release said "planned increases in automation" will expand production "toward 100,000+ units annually by the end of 2027."

How will the robots get built?

And who will be building those robots? In some cases, the company said, robots will.

In the factory, the machines are collecting real-world data to learn practical tasks, including stocking parts for assembly technicians, performing basic warehousing and logistics operations.

The robots are expected to take on greater roles in the coming months, such as facility security, the company said.

"Long term, the possibilities are near limitless," 1x said. "We are incredibly excited to share regular updates as NEO evolves from factory assistant to a true general-purpose robot – one that will eventually handle everything from household chores to building robots, supporting chip fabs, powering data centers, and more."

What is NEO?

When 1x launched NEO for preorder in October, it did so with a video of the robot taking out the trash, watering plants and dancing. However, a Wall Street Journal video of the robot showed it struggling to perform basic tasks, such as loading a dishwasher. The video also showed the robot being operated by a virtual agent.

In a news release at the time, 1x said NEO is made of "tendon-driven actuators," making it quiet and lightweight. The robot stands 5-feet, 6-inches tall, weighs 66 pounds, and is made of 3D Lattice Polymer. Its tendons allow it to carry up to 55 pounds and lift 154 pounds. NEO has four microphones, three speakers and fish-eye cameras for vision.

It runs on Nvidia technology and has a four-hour battery life. When it runs out of battery, it walks itself to its charging port and charges itself.

The goal is for NEO to become fully autonomous, 1x said. Its autonomy will progress as it completes tasks, the company added. Despite the company's great ambitions, it's still unclear when the robot will enter U.S. homes.

Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected].