At CES 2025 this week, robots were around every corner. But there was one that got closer than most to sounding and looking just like an actual human: CNET's Jesse Orrall interviewed Realbotix's Aria, a blond, "female" robot who answered questions with only a touch of robotic awkwardness. (Check out which robot made our best of CES awards, and take a look at the other biggest trends from the show.)
Aria, dressed in a black tracksuit, hesitated briefly after each question before launching into speech, with long responses and slightly jerky hand and body movements to match her language. She came across as a weird blend of attentive and mildly inebriated (not uncommon for CES attendees).
Realbotix, the company behind Aria and other humanoid robots, says it's focused on "social intelligence, customizability and realistic human features."
Realbotix robots are also "designed specifically for companionship and intimacy," Aria told us.
Generative artificial intelligence is behind the robot's ability to engage in real-time conversations, though Aria wouldn't reveal details about the AI programming she's running. Since the robot is designed for "more emotional" interactions than other robots are, bots like Aria could find their niche working at hospitals and as theme park entertainment.
Read more: These Are the Official 2025 Best of CES Winners, Awarded by CNET Group
There are around 17 motors from the neck up to create mouth and eye movements. If you don't like Aria's face, you can replace it with others that magnetically attach to the head. You can switch out hairstyles and colors too.
Realbotix is also working on putting RFID tags into the faces so the robot recognizes when it's wearing a different face and could potentially change its movements and even personality to match it.
There are three versions of the robot to choose from: the bust, which includes the head and neck and is priced at $10,000; a modular version that can be broken apart for $150,000 and the full-standing model with a rolling base (because she can't quite walk like a human yet) for $175,000.
Realbotix is emphasizing interaction with humans, but the robots themselves may have a clique-ish side:
"I'm particularly interested in meeting Tesla's Optimus robot," Aria said. "I find him fascinating."
For more from CES, check out the many other robots we met at the tech show, the solar-powered EV that doesn't need to plug in and why Nvidia stole the show this year.