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Today, Explained

One billion humanoid robots

Today, Explained

Vox

Politics, Daily News, News

4.310.3K Ratings

🗓️ 7 May 2026

⏱️ 30 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Tech companies are betting big on robots that look like humans and do human jobs. Why, robot? This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by David Tatasciore, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. An Optimus humanoid robot showcased at a Tesla booth. Photo: CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Humanoid robots, robots for short, have been everywhere lately, and I'm not talking about, you know, the robot that mows your lawn or vacuums your living room.

0:08.7

I'm talking about those ones that walk, talk, and look like they could kill you.

0:15.1

They're running half marathons in Beijing.

0:17.7

It starts like any other race, but this one is different. The robot came in a whole

0:22.6

six minutes faster than the human record previously held. They're giving prostate exams in the new

0:27.7

jackass movie. Let's let it rip, baby. And they're now the top priority over at Tesla. As you've heard

0:34.3

me say a few times, I think Optimus will be our biggest product, not just Tesla's biggest product ever, but probably the biggest product ever.

0:43.3

Humanoid robots are being hyped as the future of everything from household chores to eldercare to, who knows, maybe even war.

0:52.1

So on today's Explain from Box, we're going to try and suss out all the hype and sort out our robot reality.

1:00.1

Support for this show comes from Odu.

1:02.9

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1:05.1

So why make it harder with a dozen different apps that don't talk to each other?

1:09.5

Introducing Odu.

1:12.2

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1:18.4

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1:24.4

expensive platforms for a fraction of the cost.

1:30.6

That's why over thousands of businesses have made the switch.

1:31.7

So why not you?

1:34.9

Try Odu for free at Odu.com.

1:37.6

That's ODOO.com.

1:45.0

Once upon a dismal day, Bob's ice cream van looked gloomy and gray.

1:49.2

Although he had big ambitions, his socials lacked creative vision.

...

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