Humanoid robot becomes blackjack dealer in Las Vegas

A robotics company brought a touch of Las Vegas flair to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) on Tuesday (January 6), unveiling a robot that can deal cards for a game of blackjack.

Robotics company Sharpa showed off their model, which can pick up a deck of cards, deal hands and interpret the game at the annual trade show. Attendees were able to stand in and play as the robot dealt a hand.

"Dealing cards is pretty difficult for a robot," said Sharpa Global VP of Go-To-Market, Alicia Veneziani. "You see that it needs to manipulate an object that is flexible and thin. It's quite difficult and he does it pretty well."

Veneziani added that the demonstration highlights the robot’s AI capabilities, as it not only recognizes cards but also interacts with players during the game.

Production: Erica Stapleton/Reuters