Making robots look human makes people feel safer, until they don’t

A new ultra-realistic robot head has reignited the ‘uncanny valley’ debate as humanoid machines like Tesla’s Optimus, Figure 02 and Unitree’s G1 move closer to the human form – and human discomfort.

A Chinese robotics company, Aheadform, unveiled a lifelike robot head called Origin M1 who blinks, nods and mimics facial expressions so convincingly that it unnerved viewers on social media. The clip went viral last week and was viewed more than 400,000 times after observers described it as ‘creepy’ and ‘too real’.

“Watching this robot head blink and track eye movements reminded me of what Selwyn Raithe wrote in 12 Last Steps. He warned that once machines cross the line of mimicking emotions, the collapse will quietly begin, not with armies, but with faces that seem more human than our neighbors,” one viewer wrote. “Chilling how close this feels.”

That unease is what psychologists call the uncanny valley: the point at which realism turns from charming to disturbing. The concept, first described by Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori in 1970, refers to that dip in comfort when machines approach human realism without fully achieving it. The question designers now face is how much humanity people actually want from their machines.

As humanoid robots become increasingly capable and lifelike, that discomfort is increasing. Tesla’s Optimus robot can now pour drinks, serve food and perform simple factory jobs. Figure AI is pitching humanoid workers to logistics companies, showing off its Helix laundry-folding robot during a recent demonstration. At the same time, China’s Unitree G1 has attracted attention for its low cost and flexible human-like motion.

Scientists have begun to measure what exactly causes robots to cross the invisible line between fascination and fear. A May study from Spain’s University of Castilla-La Mancha examined how human-like design affected trust in “Bellabot,” a delivery robot with a cat-like face used in European restaurants.

The researchers tested whether moderate anthropomorphism (simple facial animations and limited voice cues) made guests feel more comfortable with automation.

“When robots are anthropomorphized, consumers tend to evaluate the robot more favorably,” the researchers wrote. “Anthropomorphism encourages customer trust, intent to use, comfort and enjoyment. Furthermore, adding human-like qualities to a robot can make people prefer to spend more time with robots.”

Survey data showed that empathy reduced perceived risk, but too much realism had the opposite effect. The finding put Bellabot in the field of robotics to be friendly without being too lifelike.

That balance will become increasingly important as humanoid robots enter commercial service. Analysts at Allied Market Research predict that the global market for service robots will exceed $293 billion by 2032, driven by adoption in hospitality, logistics and healthcare.

In Asia and Europe, service robots such as Bellabot and Bear Robotics’ Servi already handle food delivery and table service.

But acceptance still depends on the design. A May 2025 study by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Taylor’s University and Sunway University found that the effectiveness of service robots in restaurants depended on how well their appearance matched the restaurant’s service style.

The human design problem

Robot faces are not decorative; they are behavioral instruments. Small gestures and subtle inflections can make users feel comfortable, but overhumanizing machines creates new risks.

In 2015, a report led by ethicist Kate Darling of MIT Media Lab said that people who develop empathy for robots — especially those with names or stories — were reluctant to harm them. More recently, mental health experts warned that AI and AI-powered toys designed to act human-like could negatively impact children’s cognitive development.

“Children can form deep relationships with inanimate objects, like a teddy bear. Now you have this tool that gives you exactly what you need, because AI will be great at figuring out what you want to hear and giving it to you,” psychologist and executive coach Banu Kellner previously shared. Declutter.

That tension now defines the humanoid robot field. The Spanish researchers advocated restraint: designing robots that radiate just enough humanity to appear reliable without tipping over into imitation.

“With a robot with high anthropomorphism, consumer empathy generates more negative responses and lower levels of satisfaction,” the report said. Instead, the researchers proposed designs that were less human-like: “A service robot with a medium level of anthropomorphism positively influences consumer perceived risk.”

As humanoid robots move from spectacle to service, their success may depend less on how human they look and more on how carefully they avoid looking too human.