[ben_w]

Need? No, absolutely not.

But they do conveniently fit into the century old buildings we put many of the factories into, which makes them a useful upgrade path for those unwilling to build structures around more efficient robots (the kind we've had for ages and don't even think of as robots, they just take ingredients and pump out packaged candy or pencils etc.)

[shermantanktop]

There are incredible technological barriers to humanoid robots who have equivalent skills and stamina. Keeping old factories running seems a very weak reason to do that, when our industrial base regularly retools production methods and brings in new equipment when old machines wear out.

If what you are saying is that many factories cannot run with humans running around fixing things, I agree. But that’s pretty different than using humanoids to put items in boxes.

[ben_w]

Yes indeed.

Even just 3.5 years ago, seemed like everyone was saying that humanoid robots were a dead end or an unnecessary part of Isaac Asimov's vision of the future or similar.

I think much of the current interest is because Musk watched some scifi, ordered the Optimus project, and loads of others decided it would be a mistake to bet against him.

I put them in the same category as 3D printers: they can do anything, but you can always find a better special-purpose alternative for any specific goal.

Still a lot of people using 3D printing productively despite that; likely also will be for humanoid robots.

Well, if the AI is good enough. Remote control has its uses, but even then you need enough on-board AI to avoid playing QUOP as live action with a robot holding industrial equipment instead of in a safe flash game.

That said, stamina is probably the least important aspect — in an industrial setting you probably have a lot of power lines already installed.

[throw4950sh06]

Sometimes you need to produce megatons of a thing, but sometimes you need to produce a million different things. I bet on the humanoid robot in that case.