Who Owns the Machine? Reflections on Neo, AI, and the Meaning of Autonomy
At the end of October 2025, 1X Technologies' humanoid robot Neo swept through the tech world like a heatwave. This sleek robot, backed by OpenAI, is touted as the first truly home-friendly physical assistant.
Priced at around $20,000 or $499 per month for leasing, Neo can clean, carry items, and even learn new tasks through imitation. In just a few days, it became the internet's focal point — seemingly, a tireless family companion has finally arrived.
Yet, behind the cheers, a profound reflection on "autonomy" quietly unfolds. Remote control offers the illusion of convenience, but it exposes a core pain point in the AI industry: human operators still lurk in the shadows, and what happens to your privacy data?
As Curious CEO David Tomasian puts it:
"True autonomy is the only way machines can belong to us."
An Illusion: The Myth of Humanoid Robot "Autonomy"
Neo's launch is indeed exhilarating: standing 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighing 66 pounds, it uses tendon-driven actuators mimicking human muscles, wrapped in a soft shell for safety. Hugging Face co-founder Thomas Wolf exclaimed on X that Neo has "advanced" his timeline for home robot adoption.
In demos, Neo waters plants, opens doors, washes clothes, and scrubs dishes, turning mundane chores into something poetic and efficient.
But this excitement was quickly doused by reality. The Wall Street Journal's hands-on report reveals that many of Neo's movements are still remotely controlled in real time by "experts" via VR.
This isn't sci-fi — it's the current state of AI, where remote piloting aids companies in training models through imitation and reinforcement learning, yet reduces the robot from "independent helper" to "human extension."
Tomasian sharply notes that under this model, your "private robot" isn't truly private: it not only observes your life but uploads data to the cloud, fueling the manufacturer's training.
When a robot can "see" your home layout, recognize your voice, and analyze your habits — yet remains tethered to the manufacturer's servers — who does it really belong to?
From Factory to Home: The Privacy Cost Beneath Autonomy
The wave of humanoid robots is flowing from factories to living rooms. Figure AI's Figure 02 and Tesla's Optimus aim to reshape industry, while Neo pushes the vision into consumer territory — not just productivity, but companionship itself.
This trend is especially urgent in elderly care. Pilot projects in Japan, Korea, and parts of Europe are testing robots for assisting daily activities, monitoring health, and providing emotional support. But Tomasian points out: "The difference between aid and true care lies in understanding context and emotion." If data isn't encrypted and stored locally, "the robot isn't yours—it's someone else's lens."
Privacy expert Kohei Kurihara disclosed on X that Neo users must sign a waiver allowing manufacturers access to certain operational data. This "tech-for-convenience" pact hides cracks in trust. A Medium article bluntly states that this $20,000 robot "needs a human babysitter", with complex tasks requiring an appointment for "expert mode," making users feel like they're renting a "surveilled puppet."
Tomasian emphasizes that for embodied intelligence to evolve like language models, three things are essential: on-device reasoning, multimodal understanding, and encrypted autonomy. AI must not just execute commands but comprehend "why" they are given, ensuring data sovereignty belongs to the user. True care reliability stems from security and privacy, not algorithmic complexity. In other words, autonomy isn't just a technical issue — it's a social contract: Machines should embody trust, not extend surveillance.
From Embodied to Digital: AI Agents' Lessons on Autonomy
Neo's controversy reflects a deeper trend: "Autonomy" isn't confined to mechanical limbs — it's also about digital intelligence. Rather than teaching robots in your living room how to wash dishes, why not have agents on the network learn to "act on your behalf"?
AI Agents are the extension of this direction. They're not humanoid replicas but digital extensions of human will — capable of executing tasks, making decisions, and completing transactions on behalf of users, with data ownership retained by the individual.
IBM's "2025 AI Agent Report" states that Agentic AI promises an 8x productivity boost, hinging on autonomous reasoning combined with privacy protection.
Google Cloud research shows 52% of enterprises using generative AI have deployed AI Agents.
Deloitte predicts half of companies will enable Agentic AI by 2027.
Gartner forecasts that within four years, agents will autonomously handle 15% of daily decisions.
This shift redefines "autonomy": no longer machines mimicking human limbs, but agents learning to represent human intent.
XWorld: A Real-World Experiment in "Machines Belonging to People"
Amid this trend, the XWorld platform's explorations stand out. Since its 2023 launch, it has built a self-sustaining "agent economy" by combining AI training with token incentives: users can create, deploy, and monetize their own AI Agents. The integration of stablecoins makes settlements lower-friction, ensuring value flows under user control.
Today, XWorld boasts over 11 million downloads and 1 million monthly actives in its Telegram MiniApp ecosystem, with cumulative token trading volume exceeding $34.7 million.
Here, autonomy is no illusion — it's a reality co-built by users, developers, and agents: machines not only execute instructions but become "intelligence we own."
Epilogue: Who Truly Owns the Machines?
Neo reminds us: when "autonomy" becomes a selling point, oversight and trust must evolve in tandem.
The future shown by the AI Agent industry offers another possibility:
Machines are no longer just used, but truly "owned";
They no longer serve the network, but human will and data sovereignty.
XWorld's experiment may provide the answer: when "agent autonomy" merges with "user ownership," machines finally begin to belong to us.
In the future, when robots no longer need human eyes, that may be humanity's true liberation.
🔗 Learn more and join XWorld
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Top 10 Animoca Brands Games
Unleash Your Gaming Potential and Earn High-Value Crypto Assets with XWORLD
Introduction
Are you ready to embark on an extraordinary gaming journey? Look no further than Animoca Brands, a pioneering company at the forefront of blockchain-based gaming. In this article, we’ll introduce you to the top 10 games developed by Animoca Brands, each offering a unique and immersive experience.
But that’s not all — we’ll also unveil XWORLD, a groundbreaking Web3 Games & Apps Store that rewards users with high-value crypto assets as they contribute their time and energy. Get ready to level up your gaming and explore the future of interactive entertainment!
1. The Sandbox
The Sandbox is famous as one of the biggest and most popular virtual worlds in the metaverse. Users can buy land and then create their very own gaming experiences on it. The Sandbox even has a nocode Game Maker which means anyone can build. Creators can monetize their games when users play them.
The Sandbox also has its own in-house developers who write, design and publish games for the platform. An example of this is Alpha Season 3, which is currently open for anyone to join and play.
Alongside gameplay, The Sandbox also offers interactive experiences via brand and celebrity partnerships. Snoop Dogg and Steve Aoki have been in this digital realm for a while now. In 2022, Paris Hilton, Gordon Ramsay, and Tony Hawk joined the fun with their own custom-made areas.
The Sandbox started as a mobile game and launched into Web3 via the Ethereum blockchain. It bridged to Polygon in 2021 so users can enjoy lower fees and faster transaction times. $SAND is the game’s utility token and is the basis for trading and governance.
2. REVV Motorsport
REVV Motorsport is a racing-based virtual ecosystem made up of four interlinked titles:
MotoGP™ Ignition
Formula E: High Voltage
REVV Racing
Torque Motorsport
These games make up the core of Animoca Brands’ motorsport offering, which also includes the Torque Squad NFT collection. This group of play-to-earn platforms gives users the chance to earn tokens by racing motorbikes and cars against opponents.
Following the demise of the popular F1™ Delta Time, Animoca Brands has successfully pivoted to focus its attention on other racing games it owns. In May this year, they announced that players of the now-defunct game could swap their F1 NFTs for other ones.
REVV is the primary token within REVV Motorsport and holders can use it for trading, in-game actions, and voting. As always with Animoca Brands, expect more games to come on board and even more utility for the token.
3. Phantom Galaxies
Animoca Brands and Blowfish Studios, the creative team behind the game, announced the launch of Phantom Galaxies back in September 2021. Built on the Polygon blockchain, this sci-fi mecha RPG combines shoot ’em up action with politics, tech, NFTs and storylines.
Phantom Galaxies has spent 2022 building its platform and creating a product to lead Web3 gaming into the future. As with all of the best blockchain games, Phantom Galaxies is part entertainment and part interactive virtual world with real estate. In May this year, they had a Planet sale where all land within the game was purchased in a matter of days.
Gameplay involves Missions, Quests and Operations, where players can get involved in entire story arcs or engage in one-off scenarios. There are also Raids, where users team up and do battle against a single, powerful enemy.
Aside from in-game land (or Planets), which make up an important part of the Phantom Galaxies economy, the game also has the ASTRAFER token. This token enables players to build, swap, trade, upgrade, and pay Rent. Over time, the Phantom Galaxies decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) will use ASTRAFER tokens to vote on proposals.
4. Benji Bananas
Benji Bananas recently has been attracting more than 100,000 weekly users ever since. The tree-swinging, jungle-based title first launched as a mobile game a decade ago. In March 2022, Animoca Brands added a play-to-earn function for the Web3 community to enjoy.
As with most of Animoca Brands’ other titles, Benji Bananas is hosted on the Polygon network.
The concept behind Benji Bananas is simple: swing through trees, collect bananas and don’t hit the ground. The levels get progressively more difficult as you move through them, with new obstacles and enemies standing in your way. The further you go, the more bananas you get and the more challenges you complete.
To add even more value to this game, Animoca Brands started a partnership with Yuga Labs that saw Benji Bananas players given the chance to earn ApeCoin. Not only is the game very addictive, it also gives users exposure to an exclusive corner of the Web3 world.
5. Crazy Defense Heroes
Another title on the Polygon blockchain, Crazy Defense Heroes launched way back in January 2018. It’s both free-to-play and play-to-earn which makes it a great entry point for anyone unfamiliar with Web3 gaming.
The concept behind Crazy Defense Heroes is a recognizable one: set up your units to prevent your enemies from breaching your territory. What Animoca Brands has done is taken the idea and added blockchain-enabled ownership and real-life rewards to it.
The game is built around the TOWER token. Holders can use it to gain entry to events, purchase in-game NFTs and for governance. You can also swap it for fiat currency to spend in the real world.
6. Life Beyond
Life Beyond is a free-to-play MMORPG developed by Animoca Brands subsidiary Life Beyond Studios. Set on the alien planet Dolos, players engage in colony-building and wildlife combat, choosing from four distinct character classes. The game showcases the future of web3 gaming, introducing play-and-earn elements.
Built on the Polygon network, Life Beyond brings decentralized ownership of in-game assets, allowing players to trade or sell their virtual items on various marketplaces. With its alpha testing commencing on June 29th, 2022, the game is in its open alpha stage, undergoing continual improvements for an enhanced gaming experience.
7. Nine Chronicles
Nine Chronicles is a fully-decentralized, idle RPG developed on the Planetarium blockchain, a network renowned for peer-to-peer gaming. Emphasizing complete player autonomy, it’s entirely open source and serverless, with the network powered by users distributed worldwide. Gameplay encourages world exploration, battling adversaries, item crafting and trading, as well as strategic planning to overcome challenges. It’s freely accessible on Steam or via direct download and embraces modifiability, inviting players to contribute to its design and features.
The game integrates the use of NFTs, allowing players to own and manage their in-game assets. It attracted significant investment, with Nine Chronicles raising $2.6 million led by Animoca Brands. The investment came in 2021 ahead of the anticipated launch of Nine Chronicles’ governance token on the Ethereum platform.
8. Thetan Arena
Developed by WolfFun, Thetan Arena is a multiplayer online game that taps into the advantages of blockchain technology. This play-to-earn game, available on PC, Android, and iOS devices, offers players the opportunity to earn rewards through interactive gameplay. Built on the BNB Chain, it’s the second hit game from WolfFun and has garnered significant investment from venture capitalists, including Animoca Brands, and received backing from the gaming guild YGG in 2022.
Thetan Arena delivers an array of game modes, emphasizing player skills and collaboration. Modes include Death Match, Battle Royale, and more.
9. Axie Infinity
Axie Infinity, a pioneering play-to-earn blockchain game, enables users to breed and combat their unique NFT characters. This game skyrocketed to popularity in 2021, with users worldwide playing to earn a substantial income. It’s published by Sky Mavis, supported by venture capital firm Animoca Brands.
Its original concept was a battle arena where players could compete against each other or face off against increasingly challenging computer-generated stages. In 2022, the game evolved into Axie Infinity Origins and Axie Homeland. It continues to innovate and push boundaries within the blockchain gaming landscape.
10. Alien Worlds
Alien Worlds is a game built on the WAX blockchain with interoperability on other chains such as Ethereum and BNB Smart Chain. Within the game’s simulated economy, players compete for scarce resources, including coveted NFTs and in-game tokens. The game involves a dynamic interplay of mining, land acquisition and rentals, and voting for planetary governance that influences the distribution of the in-game currency, Trilium.
It made significant strides in 2021, raising over $2 million to further develop its NFT elements. This funding round included notable investment from Animoca Brands, underlining the game’s potential within the blockchain gaming landscape.
XWORLD: The Future of Gaming and Beyond
Now, let’s dive into the future of gaming with XWORLD. This groundbreaking Web3 Games & Apps Store revolutionizes the way we interact with digital experiences. By contributing your time and energy, you’ll be rewarded with high-value crypto assets. Imagine playing games, exploring apps, and being incentivized with valuable tokens — it’s a gamer’s dream come true.
Testnet has been launched in Southeast Asia.
Download: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pro.xworld.app
Join the XWORLD Community
Ready to explore the limitless possibilities of XWORLD? Visit the official website, follow XWORLD on Twitter (@xworld_pro) to stay updated on the latest news, releases, and opportunities. Don’t miss out on this exciting revolution in gaming and beyond!
Join our community for more:
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Enjoy Your Passionate Game Time, Every Second Becomes Your Income.
Web3 and XWORLD: Paving the Way for Digital Nomads to Financial Freedom
Unleashing the Power of Decentralization and Passion Economy for a Liberated Future
In the digital age, the concept of work has been revolutionized. The rise of digital nomads — individuals who leverage technology to work remotely and live an independent, nomadic lifestyle — is a testament to this transformation. But how can Web3, the next generation of internet technology, bring financial freedom closer to reality for these digital nomads across the globe? Let’s explore this through the lens of XWORLD, a pioneer in the Web3 space.
Web3, or the decentralized web, is a vision for a new phase of the internet that is built on blockchain technology. It promises to democratize the digital world, giving users control over their data and digital assets. This is a game-changer for digital nomads, who can now truly own their digital lives.
Decentralization, a core principle of Web3, empowers digital nomads with unprecedented autonomy. Whether you’re a gamer, creator, or player, you’re no longer just a user in the system. You’re a stakeholder with a say in the community’s rules and decisions. This autonomy extends to financial matters, too. With Web3, you can manage your digital assets without intermediaries, giving you full control over your financial destiny.
But Web3 doesn’t just offer control; it also offers opportunities to earn from what you love. Passion economy, where individuals can monetize their skills and passions, is flourishing in the Web3 ecosystem. Whether you’re a digital artist selling NFTs, a gamer earning tokens in play-to-earn games, or a blogger earning tips in cryptocurrency, Web3 is making it easier than ever to turn your passion into a paycheck.
XWORLD is at the forefront of this revolution. Recognizing the value that digital nomads bring to the digital world, XWORLD is pioneering a new model that rewards users based on the time they invest in games and applications. This is a radical shift from traditional models that often overlook the contributions of users. By recognizing and rewarding these contributions, XWORLD is bringing financial freedom closer to reality for digital nomads.
Imagine a world where your time spent playing games or creating content is not just a form of entertainment but also a means to earn a living. XWORLD is turning this vision into a reality. Through their innovative platform, digital nomads can earn tokens based on their contributions to the XWORLD ecosystem. These tokens can be exchanged for real-world value, providing a sustainable income stream for individuals who choose to embrace the digital nomad lifestyle.
But XWORLD’s vision goes beyond just financial rewards. They understand that true financial freedom is about more than just earning money; it’s about having the flexibility and independence to live life on your own terms. With XWORLD, digital nomads can break free from the constraints of traditional employment and embrace a lifestyle that allows them to work from anywhere in the world, pursue their passions, and live life to the fullest.
The impact of Web3 and XWORLD’s pioneering efforts extends beyond the individual level. It has the potential to reshape the global economy by redistributing wealth and power. In the traditional economy, wealth tends to concentrate in the hands of a few, while the majority struggle to make ends meet. Web3 and platforms like XWORLD aim to change that by creating a more inclusive and equitable system. By rewarding individuals based on their contributions, regardless of their background or location, Web3 can empower digital nomads from all corners of the globe to achieve financial freedom.
Moreover, the decentralized nature of Web3 ensures that digital nomads are not beholden to any single authority or platform. They have the freedom to choose where they work, which projects they contribute to, and how they manage their finances. This level of autonomy and flexibility is unprecedented in the traditional job market, where individuals often find themselves tied to a specific location or employer.
In conclusion, Web3 is not just a technological upgrade; it’s a paradigm shift that empowers digital nomads with financial autonomy and opportunities to earn from their passions. And with pioneers like XWORLD leading the way, the future of financial freedom looks brighter than ever.
So, are you ready to embark on this exciting journey towards financial freedom?
Visit the official XWORLD website at www.xworld.pro and follow XWORLD on Twitter at https://twitter.com/xworld_pro to learn more. The future is here, and it’s decentralized.
Testnet has been launched in Southeast Asia.
Download: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pro.xworld.app
Join the XWORLD Community for more
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Enjoy Your Passionate Game Time, Every Second Becomes Your Income.