Introduction: The Promise and Peril of AI-Powered Robotics The dream of robots that can seamlessly interact with our physical reality-folding laundry, cooking meals, or assembling packages-remains tantalizingly out of reach? (toc) #title=(content list) While AI has revolutionized digital realms, translating that success into the messy, unpredictable world of robotics has proven daunting. Researchers like Stanford’s Chelsea Finn envision a future where generalist AI systems empower robots to adapt to any task, from restocking shelves to assisting the elderly. Yet skeptics like UC Berkeley’s Ken Goldberg warn that the gap between science fiction and reality is vast: robots still struggle with basic tasks outside controlled environments, and the data required to train them lags far behind what’s needed. The Future of Work: Can AI-Powered Robots Truly Collaborate with Humans? This tension-between boundless optimism and grounded skepticism-lies at the heart of the AI-robo...