Alex and Ellis talk about robotics hype, questionable demos, and what it really takes to build useful machines. First, we hear from Alex live in Davos at the World Economic Forum, where they discuss nightcaps with big wigs, what Thinking Machines was really thinking, and more.

Then they’re joined by Tony Zhao, founder of Sunday Robotics, to talk about Memo, a household robot designed for everyday chores. They discuss why most robotics startups rely on simulations, how Sunday Robotics is collecting real-world training data with the Memory Glove, the challenge of making robots feel helpful rather than threatening, and what it would take for robots to actually belong in our homes.