At CES 2026, one display was pulling people in from across the hall: humanoid robots. The Realbotix robots weren’t just robot-shaped gadgets or metallic androids with LCD eyes. These were lifelike robots that looked startlingly human — skin texture, subtle muscle movements in the face, shifting expressions, and direct eye contact that felt almost social.
It wasn’t “anime cute robot” human. It was “your brain knows this isn’t real but still reacts anyway” human. And that’s where things started to get interesting.
What Realbotix is actually building
Realbotix isn’t trying to make robots that sprint around show floors. These humanoid robots don’t walk, and that’s intentional. The body sits on a base that contains the power system, and the focus shifts upward — to conversation, the face, and the illusion of presence.
Walking remains one of the hardest problems in robotics. Meanwhile, standing in place and talking is already incredibly useful. So Realbotix concentrates on the parts humans respond to instantly: facial expression, speech, and the feeling that something is looking back at you. Kinda cool, but also creepy.
What these humanoid robots are designed to do
These aren’t robots meant to fetch your laundry or vacuum your floors. They’re conversation-first machines. Think concierge desks, museum information counters, hotel reception, medical or assisted-living environments — the kinds of places where being able to listen, answer questions, reassure, and speak multiple languages matters more than walking across the room.
Picture arriving exhausted in a foreign city late at night. A humanoid robot at the front desk can check you in, talk to you in your language, and walk you through questions calmly without being rushed. That’s the realistic version of the future being pitched here.
What it’s like to actually talk to one
This is where the line between cool and creepy gets thin.
Standing in front of a Realbotix robot doesn’t feel like standing in front of a kiosk. You ask a question, the head turns toward you, the eyes track your movement, and the expression shifts while it answers. For a split second, your brain forgets that what you’re looking at is silicone, motors, and software. Then you remember — and you feel exactly what everyone at the booth was whispering about.
It’s more like talking to a person who just happens to blink a little less often. And that’s kind of weird, when you think of it.
Why make humanoid robots this realistic at all?
The short answer: because humans respond to faces.
A tablet at a kiosk can give information, but it doesn’t make you feel acknowledged. A humanoid form — especially one that looks recognizably human — can communicate warmth, calm, and attention in a way flat screens can’t. That’s the real bet here: technology that feels like a presence, not a device.
Of course, the downside comes with it. The off-kilter effect is real, and some people backed up the moment the robot’s eyes met theirs. You can feel your brain tug between “I know this isn’t human” and “my social instincts are firing anyway.”
Who these robots are actually meant for
These CES 2026 robots aren’t being pitched as home companions for the average living room — at least not yet. They’re meant for environments where interaction, and conversation are the job: reception areas, clinics, exhibitions, senior-care facilities, and brand displays.
They’re tools for public or semi-public spaces more than private homes, at least in the short term.
The real problem they’re trying to solve
Part of this is about labor and logistics: staffing 24/7 front desks is difficult and expensive, and not every environment has enough people to handle high volumes of basic questions or emotional support. Addressing loneliness is another factor, especially in elder care, where long stretches of time without conversation are common. A humanoid robot doesn’t replace real relationships, but it can stand in the gap where silence currently sits.
Whether that idea feels compassionate, dystopian, or practical depends a lot on who you ask!
The emotional bottom line
The big takeaway from CES 2026 is that robots are getting better at imitating emotional presence. The question is no longer only “What can robots do?” but “How does it feel to be around them?”
So are humanoid robots exciting or creepy?
In my opinion, they’re both. And that tension — fascination on one side, goosebumps on the other — is exactly why everyone is so interested in human-like robots right now.