Published on: January 7, 2026, 06:41h. 

Updated on: January 7, 2026, 06:44h.

This week at the CES convention, Sharpa succeeded in generating excitement with its innovative card-dealing robot, North. However, the enthusiastic tech enthusiasts surrounding the Singapore robotics company’s blackjack table weren’t the only individuals expressing their thoughts.

As videos of the event circulated on social media, reactions were mixed — many expressed outrage over the threat posed to thousands of human workers who rely on casino jobs, while others mocked North’s painfully slow pace.

North, a full-bodied humanoid robot developed by the Singapore startup, features “Wave” hands equipped with thousands of tactile sensors that can detect minimal force changes of just 0.005 newtons, as detailed in Sharpa’s CES presentation.

During CES, North showcased its human-like dexterity by adeptly playing ping-pong and constructing a paper windmill. Nevertheless, it was the blackjack demonstrations that truly captivated convention attendees. Participants could engage in a simulated game at Sharpa’s Autonomous Blackjack table, interacting with North and observing its decision-making in real time.

Alicia Veneziani, Sharpa’s global VP, positioned the blackjack demonstration as a tribute to the convention’s Las Vegas backdrop: “We’re in Vegas, so we wanted something that resonates with the mood of CES,” she shared with DRM News.

Aces High, Awareness Low

What Sharpa seemingly overlooked was how insensitive it appeared to promote automated blackjack in a city where 5,000 to 6,000 individuals depend on human dealers to cover their living expenses.

This misstep is particularly striking, given that the company’s website defines North’s mission as “liberating people from mundane tasks and granting them time for more valuable endeavors.”

So, is casino dealing deemed “lower-value” work?

Instagram users had plenty to say:

• @kaniekastroll: “Every casino dealer should UNIONIZE NOW… AI is a job-killer across all sectors!”
• @ericchine: “STOP eliminating human interaction and taking away jobs just to save a buck.”
• @skywalker7778: “Why are we creating machines that replace human jobs? This world has gone mad.”

Others critiqued North’s slow movements:

• @joeystonks: “Casinos require speed. This robot needs a Red Bull.”
• @chillguygus: “Looks like my job is safe for now.”

And then came the most somber — yet probably spot-on — observation:

• @heffa47: “By the time the robot is ready, there might not be any hand-dealt games left in casinos.”