Polish-Irish author and artist Joanna Maciejewska’s exasperated exclamation said what many were thinking in light of the capabilities of generative AI such as ChatGPT:

You know what the biggest problem with pushing all-things-AI is? Wrong direction. I want AI to do my laundry and dishes so that I can do art and writing, not for AI to do my art and writing so that I can do my laundry and dishes.

Maciejewska’s appeal did not go unheeded, as a number of start-ups are working on precisely this task: how can AI-controlled robots do the dishes and wash and fold laundry?

Physical Intelligence

A few weeks ago, the San Francisco-based start-up Physical Intelligence presented its robot π0 (pi-zero), which does exactly that: puts away dishes, washes and folds laundry.

Thanks to $400 million in investment from OpenAI, Jeff Bezos and several Silicon Valley venture capital firms that now value the company at $2 billion, the founders aim to create a general AI model for robotic tasks that require a high degree of coordination and dexterity.

OpenAI

OpenAI is also working on integrating machine learning and generative AI with robots, reports Wired magazine. The company has hired Caitlin Kalinowski, the previous chief technologist for augmented reality headsets at Meta, with the aim of reorganizing the robotics team, which was only disbanded in 2020.

Figure AI

A few months ago, the Sunnyvale-based start-up showed what its Figure 01 robot with ChatGPT integration can do. Removing garbage, putting dishes away in a rack. The latest video demonstrates how it assembles car parts in a BMW factory.

The company only raised $675 million in venture capital in February 2024.

Skild AI

Skild AI in San Francisco, Pittsburgh and Bengaluru just raised $300 million in venture capital to develop a “general purpose robotic brain”.

Astribot

As a Viennese, I particularly like the video published by Astribot of a robot preparing a coffee. Astribot uses the flowmatching model developed by Physical Intelligence.

Summary

Joanna Maciejewska’s desperate cry has been heard. She will be able to concentrate on her art and creativity while robots with an AI brain do the household chores. First, the robots still have to work out their teething troubles. For example, π0 tried to put more eggs into an egg box and then close the box. Here is the video of a successful attempt…