Humanoid Robots Cleaning Your House, Serving Your Food and Running Factories – A Look at Startups Leading the Charge

The online world is buzzing about the use of artificial intelligence. ChatGPT has turned the marketing industry upside down. But the fun is only just beginning.

General purpose humanoid robots are no longer reserved for science fiction movies. Several artificial intelligence (AI) robotics companies are making this vision a reality. And it’s happening faster than most expect.

Figure Is Leading The Way

AI robotics startup Figure is developing the world’s first commercially viable autonomous humanoid robot, known as Figure 01. If recently released images are any indication, the final product will be a robot in its truest form. It’s exactly what you expect a robot to look like.

It has hands for opening doors and using tools. It has arms and legs for lifting and climbing stairs. It’s designed to effectively manage many of the same tasks that are currently completed by humans. 

Here’s how Figure describes Figure 01 on its website:

Figure 01 brings together the dexterity of the human form and cutting-edge AI to go beyond single-function robots and lend support across manufacturing, logistics, warehousing and retail.

If the company stays the course, it’s expected to pilot the first batch of Figure 01 humanoid robots in 2024.

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Figure Is On Solid Ground

Founded by Archer Aviation Co-Founder Brett Adcock, Figure is going all in on its dream of building and employing general-purpose bipedal humanoid robots in various industries. 

In addition to Adcock, Figure employs a staff of roughly 40 people with backgrounds at companies such as Apple Inc., Tesla Inc. and Boston Dynamics. It’s clear that the company made it a priority to hire the best talent in AI, integration and software. 

For Figure, the path ahead can be broken down into three steps: perfect the design and build process of a feature-complete electromechanical humanoid, teach it to perform human-specific tasks and integrate the robots into the labor force. 

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Is Figure Alone On Its Quest?

While Figure is one of the leaders in developing the world’s first commercially viable autonomous humanoid robot, other companies are hot on its heels. Tesla's Optimus robot is a prime example.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk believes his company is ahead of the pack at this point. At Tesla 2023 Investor Day, he shared his thoughts.

“The thing that Tesla brings to the table that others don’t have, we’re the most advanced in real-world AI. So the same AI that drives the car. You can think of the car as a robot on wheels, and this is a robot on legs. I don’t think there’s anyone even close to Tesla on solving real-world AI.”

Musk believes that Optimus can have a bigger impact on the world than Tesla’s vehicle business. And that’s saying a lot.

With each passing day, the world inches closer to coexisting with autonomous humanoid robots. Tesla, Figure and several other startups are moving the needle at a fast pace. 

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