Highlight: OpenAI partners with robotics startup Figure to integrate its AI into humanoid robots, aiming to revolutionize everyday tasks. Figure envisions a future where humanoid robots assist in workplaces and homes
Figure AI, a startup building humanoid robots, has collaborated with the ChatGPT-maker OpenAI to integrate its artificial intelligence systems into the bodies of humanoid robots.
“Figure and OpenAI have entered into a collaboration agreement to develop next generation AI models for humanoid robots, combining OpenAI’s research with Figure’s deep understanding of robotics hardware and software,” the Sunnyvale, California-based startup Figure said.
Valued at $2.6 billion and founded less than two years ago by former employees of Boston Dynamics, Tesla, Google DeepMind, and Archer Aviation, the robotics startup Figure has made remarkable progress in the past few months in AI, robot development, robot testing, and commercialization.
OpenAI and Figure collab: The OpenAI and Figure partnership marks a significant milestone in the convergence of cutting-edge technologies and promises a transformative impact on the future of robotics. The partnership aims to help “accelerate Figure’s commercial timeline by enhancing the capabilities of humanoid robots to process and reason from language.”
Figure 01 humanoid robot
Figure posted an impressive video of its humanoid robot, Figure 01 (pronounced “Figure One”), with incredible potential and capability to carry up to 44 pounds and move at a speed of 1.2 meters per second.
Showcasing an impressive blend of vision-based perception and natural language understanding, Figure One navigates its environment with human-like cognition. Witness its seamless object identification, decision-making, and real-time conversation skills in a captivating demonstration. From recognizing items on a table to executing tasks autonomously, Figure One heralds a new era of robotic capability.
Figure co-founder and CEO Brett Adcock shared on his social media account a video demo of a Figure full-sized humanoid robot, demonstrating its capabilities to interact with a nearby human and its environment. In the video, the human asks “Hey Figure One, what do you see right now?” The robot responds: “I see a red apple on the plate in the center of the table, a drying rack with cups and a plate, and you standing nearby with your hand on the table.”
In the video, Figure 01 robot can be seen following the person’s orders, locating and giving them an object (an apple), and also conversing with the person (albeit with slightly delayed reaction time). Later, the robot identifies, plans, and carries out helpful tasks on its own (in this case, picking up trash and putting dishes into the rack).
The startup’s goal is to deploy autonomous humanoid workers to support humans, particularly in manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, and retail industries. Humanoid robots represent a pivotal frontier in the AI industry, enabling the application of state-of-the-art technology to real-world tasks
Key features of Figure 01
Figure 01 is the world’s first commercially viable autonomous humanoid robot.
- Height: 5’6″
- Payload: 20 kg
- Weight: 60 kg
- Runtime: 5 hours
- Speed: 1.2 m/s
- System: Electric
Figure AI valued at $2.6 billion as tech giants join funding
The humanoid robot startup Figure recently raised $675 million in investment from Microsoft, OpenAI Startup Fund, Jeff Bezos (through Bezos Expeditions), and AI chipmaker Nvidia. Others include Parkway Venture Capital, Intel Capital, Align Ventures and ARK Invest. “We’re blown away by Figure’s progress to date and we look forward to working together to open up new possibilities for how robots can help in everyday life,” said Peter Welinder, VP of Product and Partnerships at OpenAI.
The $675 million Series B funding round “will accelerate Figure’s timeline for humanoid commercial deployment,” the company said in a statement on February 29, 2024. Besides OpenAI, Figure will leverage Microsoft Azure for AI infrastructure, training, and storage, which would support the deployment of humanoid robots to assist people with real-world applications.
Figure’s robots are poised to join BMW’s production line, marking a pioneering agreement between the California-based company and BMW manufacturing plants, starting with Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Are Robots coming to our workplaces?
The integration of robots into the workplace is rapidly approaching reality. With advancements in AI and robotics technology, companies like Tesla, Boston Dynamics, Figure, and Agility Robotics are already making strides in bringing humanoid robots into various industries.
While robots have long played crucial roles on auto assembly lines, the integration of autonomous human-shaped robots marks a groundbreaking development. Amazon is pioneering the use of Digit, developed by Agility Robotics, for warehouse operations. Digit showcases remarkable capabilities in maneuvering, grasping, and navigating warehouse spaces, including tight corners. Its human-compatible size and shape make it ideal for facilities designed for humans, facilitating seamless work alongside human employees.
However, this advancement comes with the acknowledgment of potential job displacement. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report for 2023, both humanoid and nonhumanoid robots are expected to reduce employment in the coming years. Sectors such as electronics, energy tech, utilities, and consumer goods are particularly likely to adopt robotics.
The Association for Advancing Automation highlights two key benefits of automation for companies of all sizes: It frees human workers from monotonous or hazardous tasks, enhancing their daily roles. Secondly, it bolsters competitiveness and efficiency in the production process, while also addressing labor shortages.
China’s widespread adoption of robotics underscores the critical role automation plays in maintaining a competitive edge globally. China has been the world’s largest industrial robot market since 2013 and accounted for 52% of total installations in 2023, according to IFR World Robotics 2023 report.
China’s large-scale adoption of robotics proves automation has become more important for companies to maintain an edge in business, according to Jeff Burnstein, the president of the group known as A3, which has 1,200 member companies all across the globe.
