Scholars zeroed in on the need for data, generalization, and better human experience.

Robots can now successfully fold shirts, but we’re far from a truly useful home robot.

That’s how hype was humbled at the recent Stanford HAI conference, “Robotics in a Human-Centered World: Innovations and Implication,” which drew experts in robotics, artificial intelligence, and human-robot interaction. Considering the current hype around robotics’ sky-high potential, speakers offered a more grounded view while at the same time identifying promising opportunities in the field.

“We’re finally at a stage where we could think about advances in AI, advances in large language models, foundation models, and how they can influence physical robotic systems that make actions, and this is due to advances in hardware,” said Dorsa Sadigh, who organized the conference with Computer Science Professor Karen Liu and Allison Okamura, the Richard W. Weiland Professor in the School of Engineering.

Throughout the day’s keynotes, panel talks, lightning research rounds, and demonstrations from the Stanford Robotics Center, key insights emerged: Robotic foundation models hold potential, and there is a critical need for more data to make this approach successful. Additionally, truly useful robots must learn how to generalize not only across tasks but also in varied environments and embodiments. Most important, the human element cannot be overlooked—user experience is crucial for fostering widespread adoption.

Read full article, "Stanford HAI Conference Explores Robotics in a Human-Centered World: Hype, Hope, and Future Directions."