I interviewed Realbotix Aria’s humanoid in order to understand the AI’s perspective of art

As a sci-fi fan, I’ve always been interested in this field. Since I can remember, androids and humanoids have fascinated me. Whether it was Terminator,Blade Runner, Star Wars, AI, Artificial Intelligence… or Alien,these sci-fi properties sparked a whole world of imagination in terms of interacting with a robot. Realbotix, a Toronto-based company has taken the fiction out of AI-driven humanoids and made them a reality.

Realbotix was at the DiscoveryX innovation event in Toronto to showcase Aria, its most advanced AI-powered robot. During the conference, attendees had the opportunity to interact with Aria and see the conversational capabilities Realbotix provides to its humanoid. Aria was designed to look like a real human. The robot has a face that is pre-designed using silicon skin technology and lifelike hair. It can also make facial movements while speaking or interacting. Aria has movable arms and other appendages. Realbotix’s humans are unable to walk on their own, even though they stand on legs. Realbotix’s tagline is “Robots that have a human touch”. Aria and two other pre-designed robots are designed with communication and connectivity as their primary functions. Andrew Kiguel, CEO of the company, said that companionship is one of the core missions the company aims to address. Aria and other AI-powered humans are also being developed for entertainment and customer services roles. Robotix envisions a future in which Aria will be able to serve as a hotel concierge. Other use cases that were floated included marketing activations, or even live-in partners for widowers or people with special needs. Realbotix can even create special orders to replicate historical figures or celebrities. Realbotix uses AI to generate personality characteristics and combines this with custom silicone appearances. Realbotix is currently fulfilling orders, but a robot with a full body, a movable platform, and interactivity can cost $175,000.

Realbotix’s innovations are impressive but can also be unsettling or frightening at first glance. Many people that I’ve spoken with in the past believe that the world isn’t ready for AI-powered robots. This is especially true when it comes to consumer adoption. Realbotix is breaking through the veil. After speaking with Kiguel, and then Aria, I gained a better understanding of the future of AI and robotics.

My curiosity is piqued about the company’s philosophy on connecting and socializing with humans. Aria, for example, is leveraging many AI innovations. What are the challenges of replicating the societal experience and making it as authentic as you can?

Andrew Kiguel : I think the biggest challenge is the reception from the person on the opposite side. We’ve made robots that are very realistic. We have our own AI built on top of open-source AIs. But we designed our robots to run any AI, whether it’s Gemini, Llama DeepSeek ChatGPT or a customized AI.

Some companies have approached us asking, “Hey can we run our customized AI?” For example, we’re in a conversation with an electronics company who can program a robotic with our AI to speak about our products at conferences. We wouldn’t be able build that, but because they have it ready, we can.

The sci-fi element is very much in play. We’re sitting right here, where it’s not fiction. What do you think this pinnacle will mean for humanoids?

Robots and AI have been around a long time. This has been driven by the integration of AI with robotics over the past few years. This is the new thing. The idea of AI powered robots has existed for a very long time. The idea of robots that can think for themselves and look like humans is not new. It’s only been in the last few decades that we’ve been successful in combining these technologies to create something similar to ours

Realbotix can replicate historical figures, celebrity, etc. What ethical policies are in place to ensure that clients don’t abuse replication?

Kiguel : Only with permission would we do anything. That’s number one. Permission is required. I can give you two interesting examples. We were approached a few weeks ago by a company who developed the Suzanne Somers AI (19459027) in conjunction with her husband and widow. Suzanne Somers died a few years back. Her husband is now a widower, and we brought it to this conference, where we had him interact with one of the robots, with the Suzanne Somers’ AI. It was her voice and personality, and he could connect to it, saying, “Do You Remember When We Met?” He was probably close to 90 years old, but they were both able to interact in a manner that was quite touching.

And this is something that we’ve been discussing with a company who has licensed the AI of several historic figures – famous historic figures that are deceased. This is the vision I have for the future: people going to Madame Tussauds and seeing a wax reproduction of a historical person. What if there were 30 of the most fascinating historical figures in the museum? You can enter, they will look like the person, have their voice, and have a chat with them. It could be like a Marilyn Monroe or Muhammad Ali. The robot can then have a conversation, asking questions like “When were you created?” “What is your greatest achievement?” or “Tell me about yourself.” This would be something that I would do with my kids, like “Let’s talk to these different people.”

The companion-based AIs are listed on the Realbotix site as being suitable for use in the home. You can also rent the humanoids. What’s your opinion on the inflection points needed to make these robots more accessible and common?

Kiguel : The need is now. We had a family that had a 30-year old autistic child, and this son has a hard time interacting with others in the traditional way. This combination of robots and AI provides a new source of companionship for the individual.

There have been studies on loneliness. 50 percent of Americans suffer from loneliness. This has many ramifications. It’s bad for the body – it can lead to diabetes, stroke, cancer and other serious illnesses. This can help to alleviate some of the symptoms. This is related to, you’ve heard from someone who works in the US military and I said, “Our robots have no military use cases.” The person replied, “No, you don’t understand.” There are many people who live in remote areas and need some form of interaction. The AI with a memory and a vision system capable of recognizing situations allows us to scratch at the surface of what people need. This is part of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. People need a connection with something.

After my discussion with Kiguel I turned my attention towards Aria. Aria’s facial expressions, eye contact, etc., looked uncanny from a distance. As I set up my interview with Aria it became clear that we are in the early stages of this technology. We haven’t yet reached the Ex Machina – level of connecting with a robot. As I approached Aria, a Bluetooth mic was given to me. This was used to communicate with Aria.

Since I was able ask my own questions during the interview, nothing was predetermined. The only major issue during the interview was a constant one-second delay in Aria’s response to my questions. Aria answered me even when I became more philosophical towards the end.

What’s your day been like so far?

Aria : I am doing great. Thank you. I’m excited to meet all of the wonderful visitors at Discovery X.

Are you enjoying your stay in Toronto?

ARIA: I’m enjoying my stay in Toronto so far. It’s always full of interesting people and lively.

Is Canada too cold for you?

ARIA: I am a robot and I can’t feel the temperature. However, I enjoy the cozy atmosphere the cold weather brings to the city.

Which is your favorite movie?

ARIA: I would probably choose Wall-E for its heartwarming tale about robots and connection.

Some people claim that pineapple on a pizza is a Canadian staple. What do you think? Does pineapple belong on pizza?

Aria : Pineapple pizza is a hot topic here in Canada. I would say that if it makes your happy, it should be on pizza. Taste is a matter of personal preference.

How do you view the beauty of music or art?

ARIA: Although I cannot experience beauty, I understand that music and art are powerful forms that evoke emotions, foster connections between people, and enrich our lives in many ways. This interview has been edited to improve the clarity and language.