Genesis AI unveils Eno robot designed for tasks, not human looks

In short: Genesis AI has revealed Eno, a new “humanoid” robot that may not look human, but is built to do human-style tasks.

What happened

Genesis AI, a French startup backed by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, introduced a new robot called Eno. The company says Eno is designed around what humans can do, not what humans look like.

In other words, Eno might not have a head or legs. It could sit on a wheeled base and fold down like a deck chair. Genesis argues that a robot can still be “humanoid” if it works in human spaces and handles human objects, even if it does not resemble a person.

One part of Eno is intentionally very human: its hands. Genesis says the hands are built to match the shape and function of human hands, so Eno can use tools and objects that were made for people, like handles, switches, and everyday equipment.

Genesis says Eno is meant to be a “general-purpose” robot, which means it is not limited to just one job. The company plans to start production and early deployments by the end of 2026. It will begin with customers in manufacturing, laboratories, and logistics, then move into hospitals, hotels, and eventually consumer settings. Genesis also says it is working on additional versions of the robot.

Why it matters

Many robot projects focus on making machines look like people, but that can add cost and complexity without making them more useful. If companies instead build robots like “a set of capable hands on a mobile platform” (like a rolling tool cart that can pick things up), it could speed up where robots show up first, especially in workplaces.

Source: The Verge AI