The future is here, and I for one welcome our robot overlords.
Las Vegas is the indulgence capital of the country, from flesh to food, and now extending into the future with its fleet of robots. That's right, Sin City is overrun with robots, and we love to see it. Here are our five favorite robots that you can party with in Las Vegas.
Kicking off with the most direct answer to "how do I party with robots in Las Vegas?" is the Tipsy Robot bar. Tipsy Robot has two locations, one at The Venetian (near the self-parking garage and the food court) and one at the Miracle Mile shops at Planet Hollywood. While there are a few humans on-site to manage compliance tasks like ID checking and making sure the robot isn't drinking on the job, the bar is mostly manned by robots.
Guests go belly up to the tablets and can create their own concoctions without the risk of human shame. There are some non-alcoholic options as well, but either way, these drinks are going to be pricey. Signature drinks start around $17, and customizable cocktails go up from there. Vegas pricing is never fun, but at least the drinks are. The robot will dispense alcohol and mixers from stalactite-esque bottles hung above the bar. Then, with all the ingredients intact, the robot goes through the motions of mixing, whether that's shaken or stirred. This is fantastic for introverts uninterested in small talk but still intrigued by flair bartending.
Ride the robot, respectfully. ZOOX is a fleet of electric robotaxis that are hitting the Strip harder than a bunch of 21-year-olds with disposable income. These driverless vehicles have been rampant across the city for years and are finally road-tested and ready for riders. The ZOOX fleet utilizes live analysis of traffic and other drivers to autonomously navigate the road with no driver needed.
Currently, curious guests can ride a ZOOX for free on a Resorts World loop. The company is actively looking for feedback, so guests may be asked to complete a survey or discuss their experience after. The Resorts World loop is a short trip around the strip before coming back to Resorts World. ZOOX vehicles are rapidly looking to launch expansions in San Francisco, Miami, and Austin after Las Vegas.
This is the Cookie Shot Robot, a device that delivers 'cookie shots.' Forbes specifies that the "machine fills each shot with chilled Madagascan vanilla milk, and can serve as many as 75 cookie shots per hour." This robot belongs to Dominique Ansel, famous for being the originator of the iconic cronut dessert.
The Cookie Shot Robot does get lonely at times and will wave to tourists, begging them to indulge in a sweet treat. Cookie shots are $8.99, but the robot will exchange pleasantries with passersby for free. You can find this robot at the Dominique Ansel bakery, next door to Gordon Ramsay's Pub and Grill restaurant at Caesars.
This robot lives off-strip at the Life Time gym in Summerlin and happens to be the only robot masseuse in Nevada. Aescape is a team focused on "empower(ing) individuals from all walks of life to take control of their well-being." That mission statement has translated into robot masseuses that live in high-end gyms like Equinox and Life Time.
Here, the robot offers 15-60 minute massages that can be customizable in the Aescape app throughout the massage. There is a panic button a user can hit if the massage is too intense or they have sudden flashbacks to Spider-Man 2. Pricing for robot massages starts at $30 for 15 minutes and scales up to $120 for an hour. Massages that are 30 minutes or more also give the guest a free day pass to the gym- quite a package deal when the amenities include a full spa and pool.
I got to try out the Aescape robot and can assure you dear reader, the experience was not as intimidating or scary as it may have seemed. Guests change into an Aescape-branded snug outfit to ensure that the robot can move smoothly over the surface of clothing. This is not a nude experience (as the team kept reiterating to me). The robot does a humbling scan of your body that is visible throughout the massage and indicates where the robot will be rubbing. The arms of the robot are slightly warmed which is nice, and the pressure is adjustable throughout the duration of the massage. The robot did smooth out a knot I had in my shoulder, which was impressive.
Also off-strip in Town Square, we have Clouffee & Tea, a coffee and boba shop that relies on ADAM, the world’s first interactive robot barista. According to ADAM's manufacturer, Richtech Robotics, "utilizing NVIDIA AI technology, ADAM will detect when customers are present, engage them in conversation, take orders verbally, monitor and adapt to changes in his environment, and craft beverages with high levels of precision and accuracy." With this promise, we had to investigate. ADAM does predominantly do some shuffling of drinks, including mixing, but you do have to order through a human. Regardless, a boba drink topped off by a robot is a neat thing to see.
Would you trust a robot to make you a margarita or be your designated driver? Are you going to try any of these next time you're in Las Vegas? Let us know in the comments!
We've got more coverage of really cool things to do in Las Vegas. This next one isn't as robot-heavy, but it'll get your human blood pumping.
We received a complimentary massage from Aescape for consideration in this article.
