A lot of people have wondered why AI always seems to be making poetry and paintings instead of, say, doing your chores. However, that question overlooks the humble digital brains that have been doing a simple chore for over two decades: robot vacuums. Now, as AI becomes increasingly capable of completing a variety of tasks, robot vacuums are making the leap beyond simple automation to become truly intelligent home assistants powered by agentic AI. That means they can perceive their environment, decide how best to approach a task, and act independently.
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The robot vacuum is getting a major upgrade thanks to AI
Roborock transforms the humble household helper with AI-driven features, like an arm that can pick up and sort items.
Courtesy of Roborock
Courtesy of Roborock
Case in point, the recently launched Roborock Saros Z70 shows how artificial intelligence can accomplish tasks we take for granted but that have been literally out of reach of robot vacuums until now. The Z70 can deftly maneuver around power cords and other hazards, spend more time on rooms that need a deeper clean, and even extend a robotic arm to move and sort objects left on the floor.
AI goes IRL
Roborock says its AI development is guided by two core principles: maximizing real-world utility and maintaining strict privacy protections. For the Saros Z70, that starts with the data pulled in from the array of sensors. These include a front-facing RGB and infrared camera, plus a 3D mapping transmitter on the front and back, using the same technology as facial recognition systems. This results in a massively improved degree of spatial recognition, including mapping and object detection. The data is processed locally by Roborock’s agentic AI system, which combines several different approaches to giving you the best clean possible while protecting your privacy. Unlike many AI systems that rely on cloud processing, all computations happen on the device itself, and the system’s recognition training is based solely on internal simulated environments, not customer data.
The AI system gives the Saros Z70 the ability to adapt to user needs, for example, learning which rooms require more frequent attention and automatically adjusting cleaning schedules to your preferred times. It identifies “no-go” zones where the robot might get caught up on furniture as it develops an increasingly sophisticated understanding of your space. Over time, the vacuum optimizes everything from suction power to mopping patterns based on your preferences and home’s layout.
Courtesy of Roborock
New features for a flagship model
As The Verge’s pick for best robot vacuum, Roborock’s flagship S8 MaxV Ultra model was known for doing what some competitors can’t. That includes intelligent lifting wheels for more floor surface control, a dock that empties the vacuum and cleans the mop pads, and obstacle recognition that can identify over 100 different objects. As its latest flagship, the Saros Z70 takes these capabilities to new heights with enhanced suction power, an innovative riser system, and a robotic arm. The riser system features an auto-retracting side brush and mop that adjust their positions based on surface type and obstacles. An asymmetrical spiral arc design prevents hair tangles while maintaining cleaning performance. And the robotic arm lifts small objects out of the way, even moving them to pre-set locations.
The Saros Z70’s advanced AI powers what Roborock claims as an industry first: the OmniGrip five-axis robotic arm, equipped with its own sensors, camera, and LED lighting. The arm identifies and moves objects weighing up to 300 grams (more than half a pound), from socks to small towels, clearing paths for more thorough cleaning. The AI also powers the robot’s onboard object detection and voice recognition features to enable capabilities such as cleaning on voice command.
Somehow, even after adding these new technologies, the Saros Z70 is the slimmest Roborock vacuum yet, coming in at just over 3 inches tall. This engineering achievement demonstrates how AI can drive both functional and design innovations, creating devices that are not just smarter, but more elegant and effective. All in all, the new design is a step forward for not just robot vacuums, but for AI in the home, showing how the combination can help us keep our living spaces comfortable and manageable without compromising privacy. Call it poetry in motion.