The Real Timeline for Humanoid Robots

UC Berkeley roboticist Ken Goldberg breaks down how far humanoid robots have truly come, and why progress in simulation and sim-to-real transfer is accelerating capabilities like walking, sitting, and even backflips. He also cautions against over-evangelizing humanoids and explains why realism can be misleading.


In this clip from Automated with Brian Heater, Ken Goldberg offers a grounded look at the state of humanoid robotics. He explains why he’s an “enthusiast, not an evangelist,” the risks of overhyping human-like robots, and the real engineering breakthroughs driving rapid progress, especially simulation and sim-to-real learning.

If you’re working in robotics, AI, or automation, this is a sharp reality check on what’s possible today and what’s still out of reach.

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