French startup Genesis AI unveils Eno, a humanoid robot designed for capability over human appearance

Genesis AI, a French startup backed by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, unveiled Eno, a humanoid robot whose design prioritizes functional capability over human-like aesthetics. The company states Eno is intended as a fully general-purpose robot, not limited to a single task such as folding laundry.

Eno’s form diverges from traditional humanoid robots: it lacks a head, legs, and a fixed upright posture. Instead, it features a wheeled base that can fold down like a deck chair, reflecting a design philosophy Genesis AI calls being 'around human capability' rather than human appearance.

A notable exception to Eno’s non-human form is its hands, which Genesis AI says are engineered to 'exactly match the form and function of human hands' to enable the use of existing tools and objects designed for people.

Genesis AI announced plans to begin production and targeted customer deployments by the end of 2026. The company intends to prioritize deployments in manufacturing, laboratories, and logistics sectors, with later expansion into hospitals, hotels, and consumer environments.

The startup also indicated that 'additional embodiments' of Eno are in development, suggesting a family of designs tailored to different use cases beyond the initial configuration.