Rosie the Robot: Can Generative AI Finally Make Our Sci-Fi Dreams a Reality?

However, as per internal documents obtained by Insider, Amazon appears to have discovered the means to unlock Astro’s potential. The Burnham project is a clandestine new AI robot initiative being developed by Amazon, which, according to the documents, incorporates an added layer of “intelligence and a conversational spoken interface” to a smart home robot.

An improved version of Astro utilizing Burnham could potentially utilize large language models and other advanced forms of AI, in order to become a home robot that comprehends the intricacies of a bustling household, and reacts accordingly. According to Insider, the documents imply that the technology “recalls what it observed and understood,” allowing the robot to “participate in a Q&A dialogue on what it observed,” and leverage AI powered by LLMs to respond.

During my evaluation of Amazon’s first home robot, Astro, I measured it against the Jetsons’ robotic housekeeper as a benchmark. However, it came as no surprise that Astro failed to meet my expectations, not only due to its lack of arms but also its limited functionality.

According to Insider, Amazon believes it has discovered the means to unlock Astro’s potential, as revealed in internal documents. Amazon is currently developing a secretive new AI robot project called Burnham, which reportedly adds a layer of “intelligence and a conversational spoken interface” to a smart home robot.

An upgraded version of Astro, powered by Burnham, could utilize advanced forms of AI such as large language models, enabling it to become a home robot that understands the nuances of a bustling household and responds appropriately. The documents cited by Insider suggest that the technology “retains information on what it perceived and comprehended,” allowing the robot to “participate in a Q&A dialogue on what it saw” and employ AI powered by LLMs to take action.

Jetsons’ mechanical housekeeper was the example I held Amazon’s Astro to when I tested the company’s first home robot — and it unsurprisingly failed. Not just because it had no arms, but because it couldn’t really do anything.

Now, according to internal documents from Amazon seen by Insider, the company thinks it has found the keys to unlock Astro’s potential. Burnham is a secret new AI robot project Amazon is developing that, according to the documents, adds a layer of “intelligence and a conversational spoken interface” to a smart home robot, reports Insider.

An upgraded Astro powered by Burnham could use large language models, and other advanced AI, to become a home robot that understands the context of a busy household and responds appropriately. According to Insider, the documents indicate that the technology “remembers what it saw and understood” and the robot can then “engage in a Q&A dialogue on what it saw” and use AI powered by LLMs to act on it.

For example, the documents describe an Astro product using Burnham as able to find a stove left burning or a faucet left running and track down its owner to alert them. It could check on someone who has fallen and call 911 if it’s an emergency. It could help find your keys, check if a window was left open overnight, and monitor whether kids had friends over after school, according to the documents. These are all things you can do to some extent with existing smart home tech, but they require multiple steps, devices, and actions, as opposed to one — Astro.

Most interestingly, though, Amazon appears to be exploring initiating more complex tasks. An example given was a robot that sees broken glass on the floor, knows that it presents a hazard, and prioritizes sweeping it up before someone steps on it — essentially, spot problems and potentially solve them.

This “Contextual Understanding,” as Amazon describes the tech in the documents, is its “latest and most advanced AI technology designed to make robots more intelligent, more useful, and more conversational.” So, basically, Rosie the Robot (but without the arms).

Despite this, Burnham won’t be available in a robot near you anytime soon. According to the documents, Amazon acknowledges that there is still a long way to go before Burnham can be integrated into a product. In addition, you still need an invitation to purchase the current, not-so-smart Astro, which has now risen in price to $1,600, and Amazon has abandoned plans to release a cheaper version, as noted by Insider.

Although tech companies like Amazon are quickly adopting generative AI, a home robot as capable as Rosie remains a character in science fiction. However, Amazon’s statement in one document, “Our robot has a strong body. What we need next is a brain,” makes me reconsider how much I genuinely desire an intelligent, AI-powered robot wandering around my house.