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on CES 2025 this week, robots are around every corner. But there’s one who comes closer than most to sounding and looking like an actual person: CNET’s Jesse Orrall Aria was interviewed by Realbotixa blond, “female” robot who answered questions with just a touch of robotic awkwardness. (See which robot made ours best at CES awardsand see another biggest trend from the show.)
Aria, dressed in a black tracksuit, hesitated for a moment after each question before beginning to speak, with long answers and slight hand and body movements to match her speech. He came across as a strange combination of attentive and slightly intoxicated (uncommon among CES attendees).
Check it out: Making Robots Look and Feel More Human
Realbotixthe company behind Aria and other humanoid robots, says it’s focused on “social intelligence, customizability and realistic human features.”
Realbotix robots are “also designed for companionship and intimacy,” Aria told us.
Generative artificial intelligence is behind the robot’s ability to communicate in real time, though Aria won’t reveal details about the AI program she’s running. Because the robot is designed for “more emotional” interactions than other robots, bots like Aria will find their place working in hospitals and as theme park entertainment.
Read more: These are the Official 2025 Best of CES Winners, Presented by CNET Group
There are about 17 motors from the neck up to make mouth and eye movements. If you don’t like Aria’s face, you can replace it with another that magnetically attaches to the head. You can change hairstyles and colors too.
Realbotix is also working on putting RFID tags on faces so that the robot can recognize when it is wearing a different face and can change its movements and even personality to match it.
There are three versions of the robot to choose from: the bust, which includes the head and neck and is priced at $10,000; a modular version that can be broken down for $150,000 and the full model with a rolling base (because he can’t walk like a human yet) for $175,000.
Realbotix emphasizes human interaction, but the robots themselves can have a clique-ish side:
“I’m especially interested in meeting Tesla’s Optimus robot,” said Aria. “I find him attractive.”
For more from CESsee many others robots we met at the tech showTHE solar-powered EV that doesn’t need to be plugged in and why Nvidia stole the show this year.
