By Morten Suhr Hansen
Do you remember the American blockbuster Blade Runner from 1982? Back then, it offered a glimpse into a distant future where humans and human-like robots, also called androids, lived side by side and interacted in ways where it was not always easy to tell who was human and who was machine. I remember the scenario sending a chill down my spine, unsure whether it would ever become reality in my lifetime.
Now I can say that it has! Even if we’re not quite there yet. But within the last few weeks, it has become possible for me, and everyone else, to pre-order my first android.
Because last week, the company 1X Technologies unveiled their newest human-like robot, NEO. A highly developed humanoid with movement patterns, body language, and facial expressions surprisingly close to those of a human. NEO can walk, speak, understand and react to its environment and, perhaps most importantly, it can be trained.
You can already pre-order a humanoid robot, NEO, for delivery in 2026 – offered on subscription.
A new colleague with artificial empathy
Imagine a future where Subscrybe (or any modern company) can “hire” a NEO to assist with the daily workload:
- It welcomes guests and customers at the reception, remembering names and preferences.
- It can collect and structure data from meetings, notes, and CRM systems.
- It can assist in presentations or act as a sparring partner with access to all company knowledge.
- And during the break, it might brew a perfect cup of coffee while telling you what your calendar says about your next task.
We may not be far from a reality where the robot becomes an integrated part of office culture, not as a machine, but as a colleague with personality, variety, and the ability to learn.
From ownership to access – even for robots
The fact that NEO is offered as a subscription may be the most interesting part. You don’t buy a robot as a product – you subscribe to functionality, updates, and intelligence.
It makes sense. Technology is developing at high speed, and the robot that can carry a cup of coffee today might be able to write reports, code software, or translate conversations in real time in just a couple of years.
A subscription ensures that you always have the newest version, without owning and without falling behind.
The pricing makes even more sense. A NEO can be bought for $20,000, while a subscription costs only $500 a month. Just over 3,000 Danish kroner for a robot for the office – or the home.
It is the ultimate version of “Freedom from Ownership,” and perhaps a symbol of a new era where even human competencies become available as a service.
Ethics, efficiency, and existence
But new technology also brings ethical questions. What does it mean if our next colleague isn’t human, but a robot paid monthly?
Will we compete with robots on knowledge, creativity, and efficiency – or will we collaborate with them as new partners in a hyper-efficient subscription economy?
NEO is not just a technological breakthrough. It is a symbol of how the subscription model is moving from products and services to existences.
So my conclusion is that NEO is both fascinating and unsettling.
As a subscription enthusiast, I see a completely new market emerging: “Humanoids-as-a-Service.” But as a human, I also sense that we are standing at the threshold of a new chapter in the workplace community, where we must define what human work really means.
Maybe our next colleague won’t be hired at all – but pre-ordered.
PS. If you haven’t yet seen NEO in action, check it out on the 1X Technologies website or on YouTube. Let me know whether you find it scary or intriguing!
PPS. You can already find many critical articles about NEO and the first-generation robot available today. It can only perform a limited number of automated tasks to start with. Right now, it looks like a somewhat manual technology. But don’t be fooled. As with any technology, it’s only a matter of time and maturity.
