Mark Cuban bets against humanoid robots in next decade

Humanoid robots are headed for failure within five to 10 years, according to billionaire investor Mark Cuban. He envisions machines designed around their tasks and environments instead.

Cuban, who appeared on Shark Tank, cautioned that the companies and their robots might both collapse. He thinks the drive to create human-shaped robots is based on a mistaken idea.

Why Cuban Doubts Humanoid Robots

According to Cuban, the industry automatically turns to humanoids because humans inhabit a human-made world. But he gives that approach no chance, especially inside homes. He cites Amazon's warehouses, where robots designed for those spaces handle tasks rather than humanoids transporting boxes.

Cuban's alternative takes inspiration from nature. He proposes robots that look like spiders or ants, capable of carrying and lifting objects. Homes could then conceal the pantry, fridge, and washing machines behind the garage, leaving all living areas for humans.

Cuban calls this co-design: the house is designed around the robot and the robot around the house. In a later post, he drew a parallel to kitchens adapting for microwaves and dishwashers. He added that humanoids are cumbersome and have difficulty managing multiple tasks from a single instruction.

✅✅✅. Before microwaves, dishwashers and washing machines, there weren’t spaces for them. Then boom. The house design changed. Didn’t have to tear down the house. You optimized it for the devices that did the best job. Same will happen with robots.

It’s hard to make a… https://t.co/NBxeZ9Te8M

— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) September 28, 2026

Robot Makers Still Bet on the Human Form

Despite Cuban's views, a large part of the robotics sector is heading the other way. Unitree's founder, Wang Xingxing, recently stated that humanoids might achieve their ChatGPT moment in two to 10 years.

Investors appear to share that view. The Chinese company's shares surged 629% at the open on its Shanghai debut. Cryptocurrency funds have also entered the space, with Tether spearheading a $1.4 billion investment round for Germany's NEURA Robotics.

Yet Cuban's own illustration strengthens his argument. He posed a question to his followers: would they prefer a Roomba, the disc-shaped vacuum from iRobot, or a humanoid sweeping with a broom?

The discussion is still unresolved for now. If Cuban proves correct, the coming robotics leaders could bear no resemblance to the devices displayed at current tech events.