A new breed of AI-powered robots could soon mimic almost any action after watching a human do them just once.

Scientists have developed a clawed machine that can learn new tasks, such as dropping a ball into a bowl or picking up a cup, simply by viewing a person perform them first.

Researchers said the trick allows the android to master new skills much faster than other robots, and could one day lead to machines capable of learning complex tasks purely through observation – much like humans and animals do.