Former NASA robotics chief Robert Ambrose has identified the one thing that both America and China are getting wrong about robots: they cannot completely replace human jobs. In a statement shared on Fortune, Ambrose wrote: “What both the U.S. and China still misunderstand is the assumption that humanoids will replace jobs wholesale. Rather, they’ll generate value by filling the gaps that current automation can’t reach.”Ambrose argued that while both countries are investing heavily in humanoid robotics, they are focusing too much on demonstrations and technical achievements rather than on building machines that can operate effectively across a range of real-world tasks. According to him, the future of robotics lies in complementing human workers rather than replacing them entirely. Ex NASA robotics chief on how robots perform well in demos but struggle in real-world environmentsAmbrose said there’s a gap between robotics demonstrations and their deployment in the field. He pointed out that many state-of-the-art robots can perform complex movements and manipulate objects under controlled conditions, but their performance drops sharply in unpredictable real-world environments. He cited a Stanford report that found robots achieving nearly 90% success rates in simulations managed only 12% of household tasks in real settings. He also referenced the deployment of Figure AI's 02 humanoid robot at BMW's Spartanburg plant. While the robot reportedly logged 1,250 hours and handled more than 90,000 components, Ambrose said it was performing a single repetitive task over a ten-month period. He questioned whether such deployments justify the investment for many manufacturers, particularly smaller firms. Drawing from his experience at NASA, Ambrose said machines designed for only one scenario often prove less useful than systems that can be adapted for multiple purposes. He argued that current humanoid robots remain highly capable within specific conditions but lack the flexibility that human workers bring to manufacturing and logistics environments. Why Ex-NASA robotics chief thinks robots will complement and not replace workersAccording to Ambrose, the value of human workers lies in their ability to switch between tasks, solve unexpected problems, and adapt to changing conditions. He said future humanoid robots will need to demonstrate a similar level of adaptability if they are to play a meaningful role in factories and warehouses. Instead of replacing entire jobs, Ambrose believes robots will be most useful in handling "in-between" tasks that are too variable for traditional automation but too repetitive to require skilled human labour. Examples include transferring materials between workstations, restocking, operating single-purpose machines, and inspecting in hazardous or confined areas.He added that the US lacks a clear policy framework to drive large-scale adoption of humanoid robots. “Incentives should be for deployment and integration, not just research and development,” Ambrose said. He said he would like to see expanded manufacturing assistance programs and interoperability standards to help businesses deploy robots into existing workflows. Ambrose concluded that success in robotics will depend less on building machines capable of impressive demonstrations and more on creating systems that can be deployed efficiently at scale. While America has the resources to lead that transition, he warned that current efforts remain focused on the wrong objectives.