More exciting to me would be a fully automated moon base. Much more realistic and the advances it will help bring to robotics can be exploited for profit here on earth, a win for everyone.

I don’t see how building a moonbase where people live really helps people on earth. For that matter doesn’t the low gravity leech calcium from your bones or something? Why would anyone even want to live on the moon. Sounds unpleasant.

The trick will be to developing a delivery mechanism for dropping and installing semi-autonomous robots on the moon.

Also, of course, we need robots capable of doing anything a person can do - even to the point of repairing other robots. Not talking self aware, just with the appropriate agility.