Figure AI founder Brett Adcock says there will soon be as many humanoid robots as humans
"The home is like single-digit years away" from being a place where humanoid robots can do "useful work," he said this week on Around the Prompt, a tech podcast.
That is, first and foremost, thanks to advances in hardware, which have become significantly more reliable in the past decade. "You can't get this done on like mediocre hardware," Adcock said.
Neural networks, the computational models that mimic the networks in the brain, meanwhile, have evolved to make humanoids a near-term reality, he said.
Adcock referenced an update the company released last week for its humanoid robot, Helix, allowing it to complete an hour of "uninterrupted logistics work." The robot managed packages on a conveyor belt.
Adcock said the latest development shows that its neural nets are "approaching human speed and performance."
Watch Helix's neural network do 60 minutes of uninterrupted logistics work
Helix now incorporates touch and short-term memory and it's performance continuously improves over time pic.twitter.com/DvfBe9IdGH
— Figure (@Figure_robot) June 7, 2025
Investors, too, see promise in a future populated by humanoid robots.
Figure, founded in 2022, has raised $2.34 billion, with $1.5 billion coming from its latest Series C round in February led by SaxeCap, 1802 Ventures, and Vegvisir Capital. The company is now valued at $2.6 billion, according to PitchBook.
The company has also raised money from companies like Microsoft, OpenAI, Nvidia, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. But Adcock — who previously founded electric aircraft company Archer and AI talent marketplace Vettery — said he put in a bulk of the initial capital.
In the last seven years, the "climate towards deep tech has really flipped," Adcock said. "There are fully dedicated funds for this. People realize now that probably some of these deep tech companies might be the biggest businesses in the world or starting to become the biggest business."
Other major players in the humanoid robot space include Tesla, which has Optimus, a 5-foot-8 humanoid robot that can dance, clean, and take out the trash. The company is working to deploy its first fleet in its factories by the year's end. Boston Dynamics has Atlas, which can run, crawl, break dance, and do cartwheels. Agility Robotics has Digit, which Amazon once tested in its warehouses, though the e-commerce giant now uses its own set of in-house, non-humanoid robots designed by Amazon Robotics.
Many of these humanoid machines move with fluidity, exhibiting a suite of motor skills that allow them to augment the human labor force. Figure says its mission is to "develop general-purpose humanoids that make a positive impact on humanity and create a better life for future generations," especially ones that can "eliminate the need for unsafe and undesirable jobs — ultimately allowing us to live happier, more purposeful lives."
The company already has robots mingling with humans at its offices, asking employees if they want water or coffee, or simply patrolling the premises, he said. So, it's not hard to imagine a time when "you'll see as many humanoid robots as you see humans," he said. "It's literally going to feel like a sci-fi movie."
The real draw, though, is that "the humanoid robots will be the ultimate deployment vector for AGI," he said.
Humanoids aren't the only type of robots in development. In 2024, investors put $6.1 billion in VC dollars behind the general category of robotics, up 19% from 2023, according to PitchBook. That includes companies collecting data, building AI models for robots, and creating robotic fleet management software, PitchBook said. "There's a whole ecosystem that's been kickstarted in the last three years," Srini Ananth, managing director at Intel Capital, told PitchBook.
Some experts in the field question whether the human form is really the best vehicle for machines.
"My hypothesis is that the requirements of different tasks are so vast that having very few form or sticking with one form is energy inefficient," Fei-Fei Li, cofounder and CEO of World Labs, said on the No Priors podcast.
"Just an extreme and trivial example, if we put robots underwater, they should not be the shape of humans. They better be in the shape of fish. Just think about energy efficiency. The same with flying."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
35 minutes ago
- Business Insider
‘This Is a No-Go Zone,' Says Top Investor About Figma Stock
Figma (NYSE:FIG) stock made a splash when it went public late last month, with shares tripling on their first day of trading. But the early euphoria has faded – the stock now trades about 31% below its day-one close. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Even so, the IPO was a significant milestone for the design platform, which counts roughly 13 million active users and has delivered steady revenue growth over the past two years, including a 41% jump in Q2 2025. Yet, impressive growth alone isn't enough to sway everyone. Top investor Michael Wiggins De Oliveira, who is among the top 3% of TipRanks' stock pros, warns that jumping on the bandwagon now could be a costly mistake. 'I don't see a clear enough inflection for Figma to maintain its pricing power or growth profile over the next few quarters to justify its current multiple,' Wiggins De Oliveira explains. While the investor acknowledges the 'impressive userbase' and rapid revenue growth, he points to concerns that weaken the risk-reward profile. Chief among them is the growing narrative that AI could erode Figma's competitive moat. With technological disruption moving at breakneck speed, Wiggins De Oliveira questions whether the company can sustain its pace of year-over-year growth. Competitors could introduce advances that replicate core features of Figma's platform, undermining its uniqueness. 'The company is up against a challenging narrative that AI could disrupt much of its underlying offering,' the investor adds, projecting that revenue growth could slow to 30%–35% annually. Beyond growth concerns, Wiggins De Oliveira also casts doubt on the quality of Figma's cash flow profile. While the company posted a notable swing to nearly $100 million in free cash flow in Q1 2025, the investor cautions that the figure may have been flattered by one-off factors tied to its IPO filing. Stripping those out, he estimates sustainable annual free cash flow closer to $250 million at best – a figure that, when set against its market cap, leaves FIG trading at an expensive ~160x forward free cash flow. 'Outperformance comes from patience and picking your spots – and for me, FIG just doesn't make the cut,' concludes Wiggins De Oliveira, who rates FIG a Sell. (To watch Michael Wiggins De Oliveira's track record, click here) For now, FIG is too new to have analyst ratings, but with its IPO, early volatility, and high-profile debate, Wall Street attention is likely to grow in the months ahead. (See FIG stock analysis) To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks' Best Stocks to Buy, a tool that unites all of TipRanks' equity insights.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
I Asked ChatGPT and a Financial Advisor How To Become a Millionaire: Here's How Their Advice Compared
For all of the transformative capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI), AI chatbots are still in their infancy stage. While applications like ChatGPT provide generic information that can be used to jump-start research or clarify terms, trusting it with a serious matter like a person's finances would certainly be foolish. Or would it? To test ChatGPT's accuracy on a unique and universally desired financial end goal for many Americans, GOBankingRates asked it how to become a millionaire and received an answer detailing things like how much you would need to invest and at what return, paths to use (consistent investing, growing a business, building high-income skills), and the importance of living below your means and avoiding wealth killers. Read Next: Find Out: GOBankingRates then sought a professional to speak on the subject, asking veteran wealth advisor Jake Falcon, CRPC, where the application succeeded and where it failed. Here's what the founder and CEO of Falcon Wealth Advisors had to say about ChatGPT's answer on how to become a millionaire. Where ChatGPT Succeeds What Falcon liked about ChatGPT's advice was its emphasis on practicalities. The nuts and bolts of sound planning and wealth building aren't a mystery, but they need to be adhered to if you're going to make any progress toward your financial objective. 'ChatGPT's response to 'How to Become a Millionaire' is surprisingly solid for a general audience — it's structured, motivational, and covers the basics well,' Falcon said. 'That said, there are a few areas where it shines and others where it falls short from my perspective.' Here are three examples where ChatGPT provided solid basic guidance, according to Falcon. Learn More: Emphasizing Consistency and Time 'The breakdown of how monthly investments compound over time is a great way to demystify wealth-building,' Falcon said. 'It reinforces the idea that becoming a millionaire is more about discipline than luck.' Highlighting Multiple Wealth Paths 'ChatGPT does a good job outlining the common routes — investing, entrepreneurship, real estate, and high-income skills,' Falcon explained. 'This gives readers a menu of options to explore based on their strengths.' Promoting Financial Hygiene 'Advice like 'live below your means,' 'avoid lifestyle inflation,' and 'track every dollar' is timeless. These are foundational habits I encourage with many clients,' he said. Where ChatGPT Falls Short Financial advisors know that investing is a highly personal activity, so ChatGPT's 'underplaying of behavioral finance' doesn't sit well with Falcon. 'Becoming a millionaire isn't just about math — it's about mindset. ChatGPT doesn't address emotional biases, fear of loss, or the discipline needed to stay invested during downturns. That's where human advisors add real value,' he said. ChatGPT falters in the details, those which financial advisors give such high priority for their clients. Here are three instances where ChatGPT fell flat for Falcon. Oversimplified Math 'While the investment projections are directionally correct, they lack nuance,' Falcon said. 'For example, assuming a flat 7% return ignores market volatility, inflation, and sequence-of-returns risk. Real-world planning requires stress testing — something ChatGPT can't do reliably.' No Personalization Similar strategies can't be used for every investor. 'The advice is generic,' Falcon stated. 'A 25-year-old software engineer and a 55-year-old teacher need very different strategies. As a wealth advisor, I tailor plans based on income, risk tolerance, tax situation, and life goals.' Missing Tax Strategy and Asset Location 'There's no mention of Roth vs. traditional accounts, capital gains, or tax-efficient withdrawals,' Falcon said. 'These are critical to maximizing wealth and often overlooked in DIY plans.' A Financial Advisor's Take A million dollars doesn't go quite as far as it used to, but hitting that wealth threshold is still the ultimate goal for many Americans. Unless you're a master tactician when it comes to creating comprehensive financial plans that cover the essentials — retirement, insurance, taxes, estate planning and major life transitions — you should see a human advisor before consulting ChatGPT for specific strategies on any important financial matter, including how to become a millionaire. 'ChatGPT is a great starting point for financial literacy. It can help people get motivated and understand the basics,' Falcon admitted. 'But when it comes to execution — especially for high earners or those nearing retirement — there's no substitute for personalized advice. 'You can Google 'How to change your car's oil,' but asking the internet on how to build the car probably isn't going to work. The same applies to wealth-building.' More From GOBankingRates New Law Could Make Electricity Bills Skyrocket in These 4 States I'm a Self-Made Millionaire: 6 Ways I Use ChatGPT To Make a Lot of Money 5 Strategies High-Net-Worth Families Use To Build Generational Wealth 4 Affordable Car Brands You Won't Regret Buying in 2025 This article originally appeared on I Asked ChatGPT and a Financial Advisor How To Become a Millionaire: Here's How Their Advice Compared Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Nvidia and AMD's ‘special treatment' from Trump is shaking up an already tangled global chip supply chain
Donald Trump's decision to let Nvidia and AMD export AI processors to China in exchange for a cut of their sales will have repercussions far beyond the semiconductor supply chain is global, involving a wide array of non-U.S. companies, often based in countries that are U.S. allies. Nvidia's chips may be designed and sold by a U.S. company, but they're manufactured by Taiwan's TSMC, using chipmaking tools from companies like ASML, which is based in the Netherlands, and Japan's Tokyo Election, and using components from suppliers like South Korea's SK Hynix. The U.S. leaned on these global companies for years to try to limit their engagement with China; these efforts picked up after the passage of the CHIPS Act and the expansion of U.S. chip-export controls in 2022. Washington has also pressured major transshipment hubs, like Singapore and the United Arab Emirates, to more closely monitor chip shipments to ensure that controlled chips don't make their way to China in violation of U.S. law. Within the U.S., discussion of Trump's Nvidia deal has focused on what it means for China's government's and Chinese companies' ability to get their hands on cutting-edge U.S. technology. But several other countries and companies are likely studying the deal closely to see if they might get an opening to sell to China as well. Trump's Nvidia deal 'tells you that [U.S.] national security is not really the issue, or has never been the issue' with export controls, says Mario Morales, who leads market research firm IDC's work on semiconductors. Companies and countries will 'probably have to revisit what their strategy has been, and in some cases, they're going to break away from the U.S. administration's policies.' 'If Nvidia and AMD are given special treatment because they've 'paid to play', why shouldn't other companies be doing the same?' he adds. Getting allies on their side The Biden administration spent a lot of diplomatic energy to get its allies to agree to limit their semiconductor exports to China. First, Washington said that manufacturers like TSMC and Intel that wanted to tap billions in subsidies could not expand advanced chip production in China. Then, the U.S. pushed for its allies to impose their own sanctions on exports to China. 'Export controls and other sanctions efforts are necessarily multilateral, yet are fraught with collective action problems,' says Jennifer Lind, an associate professor at Dartmouth College and international relations expert. 'Other countries are often deeply unenthusiastic about telling their firms—which are positioned to bring in a lot of revenue, which they use for future innovation—that they cannot export to Country X or Country Y.' This translates to 'refusing to participate in export controls or to devoting little or no effort to ensuring that their firms are adhering to the controls,' she says. Paul Triolo, a partner at the DGA-Albright Stonebridge Group, points out that 'Japanese and Dutch officials during the Biden administration resisted any serious alignment with U.S. controls,' and suggests that U.S allies 'will be glad to see a major stepping back from controls.' Ongoing trade negotiations between the U.S. and its trading partners could weaken export controls further. Chinese officials may demand a rollback of chip sanctions as part of a grand bargain between Washington and Beijing, similar to how the U.S. agreed to grant export licenses to Nvidia and AMD in exchange for China loosening its controls on rare earth magnets. Japan and South Korea may also bring up the chip controls as part of their own trade negotiations with Trump. 'Expect continuing diversions' A separate issue are controls over the transfer of Nvidia GPUs. The U.S. has leaned on governments like Singapore, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates to prevent advanced Nvidia processors from making their way to China. Scrutiny picked up in the wake of DeepSeek's surprise AI release earlier this year, amid allegations that the Hangzhou-based startup had trained its powerful models on Nvidia processors that were subject to export controls. (The startup claims that it acquired its processors before export controls came into effect). As of now, the two chips allowed to be sold in China–Nvidia's H20 and AMD's MI308–are not the most powerful AI chips on the market. The leading-edge processors, like Nvidia's Blackwell chip, cannot be sold to China. That means chip smuggling will continue to be a concern for the U.S. government. Yet 'enforcement will be spotty,' Triolo says. 'The Commerce Department lacks resources to track GPUs globally, hence expect continuing diversions of limited amounts of GPUs to China via Thailand, Malaysia, and other jurisdictions.' Triolo is, instead, focused on another loophole in the export control regime: Chinese firms accessing AI chips based in overseas data centers. 'There is no sign that the Trump Commerce Department is gearing up to try and close this gaping loophole in U.S. efforts to limit Chinese access to advanced compute,' he says. How much will the global supply chain change? Not all analysts think we'll see a complete unraveling of the export control regime. 'The controls involve a complex multinational coalition that all parties will be hesitant to disrupt, given how uncertain the results will be,' says Chris Miller, author of Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology. He adds that many of these chipmakers and suppliers don't have the same political heft as Nvidia, the world's most valuable company. Yet while these companies may not be as politically savvy as Nvidia, they're just as important. TSMC, for example, is the only company that can manufacture the newest generation of advanced chips; ASML is the only supplier of the extreme ultraviolet lithography machines used to make the smallest semiconductors. 'I don't believe it's leverage that the Trump administration will easily give away,' says Ray Wang, a semiconductor researcher at the Futurum Group. This story was originally featured on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
