Latest news with #FigureAI
Bloomberg
9 hours ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Figure AI CEO on Building General Purpose Robots
Brett Adcock, Founder and CEO, Figure AI speaks with Bloomberg Television's Ed Ludlow about how it is training humanoid robots for logistics, manufacturing, and future roles in the home at Bloomberg Tech in San Francisco. (Source: Bloomberg)
TimesLIVE
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
Function over flash: Specialised robots attract billions with efficient task handling
"We've found that by solving a very specific problem in a high-need area like healthcare, we can create a sustainable business model," Diligent Robotics CEO Andrea Thomaz said, adding Moxi has reached product-level profitability. Humanoid challenges The interest comes as general-purpose humanoids face challenges such as teaching machines to navigate unpredictable environments and developing sophisticated reasoning abilities. Unlike generative AI, which is trained on vast online datasets of text, images and audio, the data available to develop humanoid robots is far more limited. These machines must learn by interacting with the physical world and training on datasets focused on tasks such as stacking boxes. Firms like Figure AI, which aims to ship 100,000 humanoid robots over the next four years, rely on advanced AI to process real-time sensory data. That means such robots are mostly confined to controlled environments such as car factories. The cost of humanoids is also far higher than task-specific robots. Components such as cameras and lidar sensors can push manufacturing costs for humanoid robots to between $50,000 (R895,542) and $200,000 (R3.6m) per unit, compared with $5,000 (R89,554) to $100,000 (R1.8m) for task-specific machines, according to industry executives and a market study by startup Standard Bots. "[True] general-purpose robots have not really been invented yet," said Marc Theermann, strategy chief at Boston Dynamics, adding that "if somebody claims that they are commercially finding a general-purpose robot, they are over-promising and they will under-deliver." While the company's Atlas robot has made headlines with viral clips of it leaping, flipping and dancing, Theermann said the value currently lies in targeted designs. Its four-legged robot, Spot, excels in hazardous industrial inspections, a narrow but lucrative niche. Era Ventures has backed ViaBot, whose autonomous machines manage trash collection in parking lots. Parkway Venture Capital has diversified its bets between Siera AI's forklift automation and Figure AI's humanoid ambitions. "You'll see a transition where there will be robots built for a task doing something very useful, very cost-effectively," said Raja Ghawi, Partner at Era Ventures. "And as that gets better, people will realise there is a good reason to have a full humanoid."
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Sam Altman says the world is not yet ready for the gadget that Elon Musk just called 'biggest product ever'
Sam Altman, CEO, OpenAI At a time when companies like Elon Musk 's Tesla are looking to offload some tasks on robots, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has said that society is unprepared for the arrival of humanoid robots in everyday life — a development he believes is approaching rapidly. In an interview with Bloomberg aired this week, Altman said people are still focused on artificial intelligence's (AI) impact on desk-based jobs, such as programming and customer support. However, he warned that physical robots capable of performing real-world tasks may soon become part of daily life, and the public isn't ready for it. "I don't think the world has really had the humanoid robots moment yet. It's gonna feel very sci-fi," Altman said. He described a scenario where it becomes normal to see multiple robots walking down the street performing tasks previously done by humans. 'It's not very far away. People are going to have a visceral reaction when they see robots doing things humans used to do,' he added. Recently, Musk shared a video on his handle on X, showcasing Tesla's Optimus robot taking up tasks like throwing the trash away, cleaning a kitchen shelf and more. He captioned the video. 'The biggest product ever.' OpenAI partners with robotics startup Figure AI Altman's comments come after OpenAI partnered with Figure AI in February, a startup working on humanoid robots for practical roles in sectors like manufacturing, logistics, warehousing and retail. The company's first model, Figure-01, is designed to assist with everyday tasks in these industries. Altman also reiterated his stance that while AI will eliminate some jobs, it will also create new ones. 'AI is, for sure, going to change a lot of jobs, totally take some jobs away, create a bunch of new ones,' he said. He added that OpenAI has consistently tried to be transparent about the potential impact of its technologies, even if some predictions turn out to be inaccurate. 'I think I am way too self-aware of my own limitations to sit here and try to say I can tell you what's on the other side of that wormhole," Altman said.
Mint
22-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Robots may soon be a common sight, warns OpenAI CEO Sam Altman: Report
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman believes the world has yet to witness the full extent of AI's transformative potential—particularly with the emergence of humanoid robots. In a recent interview withBloomberg, Altman stated that while many focus on AI replacing desk-based roles such as programming or customer service, a more profound shift is on the horizon,reported India Today. 'I don't think the world has really had the humanoid robot's moment yet,' he said, hinting at a future where robots are part of our everyday environments. 'You'll be walking down the street, and there'll be seven robots walking past you, doing things. It's gonna feel very sci-fi,' Altman remarked, suggesting that the public might be caught off guard by how quickly humanoid robots become commonplace. According to him, the widespread presence of these robots will not only alter perceptions of work but also of technology itself. Reportedly, Altman acknowledged that AI is already disrupting employment across various sectors. He explained that this disruption will occur in phases—certain jobs will disappear entirely, but new roles will also emerge. While such technological shifts are not new, he expressed concern that societies may be underestimating the pace and scale of what's to come. 'We've always been transparent about what we think the impact of AI will be,' Altman noted, while admitting that predictions may not always be accurate in detail. Yet, he maintains that the trajectory towards robot integration is undeniable and fast-approaching. OpenAI is actively advancing this frontier. Earlier this year, the company partnered with Figure AI, a startup focused on creating humanoid robots. The collaboration aims to accelerate the deployment of robots in sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, and retail. Figure AI recently unveiled its prototype robot, the Figure-01, which is designed to tackle labour shortages by performing physically demanding jobs. In a significant demonstration, the robot successfully operated a coffee machine—a task it learned by observing human actions. Brett Adcock, CEO of Figure AI, described the feat as a milestone in 'end-to-end AI,' showcasing a single model's ability to learn and perform a complex task autonomously. As developments in AI and robotics gain momentum, the boundary between human and machine roles in society continues to blur. Altman warns that this evolution might arrive sooner than many expect, and with it, a transformation more dramatic than most can currently imagine.
India Today
22-05-2025
- Business
- India Today
Sam Altman says smart robots are coming and world is not ready for it
AI has likely started taking over some jobs, something that has potential to transform our lives. But this is just the beginning, or so says OpenAI CEO Sam Altman whose ChatGPT is one key ingredient in this AI disruption. Altman now believes that the world has still not witnessed what smart robots can truly do. In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Altman warned that while most people focus on AI replacing desk jobs, a more significant change is around the corner: humanoid robots that will soon be walking down the don't think the world has really had the humanoid robot's moment yet," Altman told Bloomberg. "People may have abstractly thought about AI replacing specific tasks like programming or customer support, but the moment when humanoid robots are a common sight will take people by surprise." Altman went on to say that this moment isn't far off, and it will feel like something out of a sci-fi movie. "You'll be walking down the street, and there'll be seven robots walking past you, doing things. It's gonna feel very sci-fi," he added. Altman emphasises that humanoid robots will change the way people perceive work and technology. Meanwhile, talking about the current disruption in the job sector, Altman acknowledged that "AI is for sure going to change a lot of jobs." However, he noted that the change will happen in two phases: "AI will totally take some jobs away and create a bunch of new ones," he believes that this disruption is nothing new, pointing out that technology has always brought significant changes to the workforce. However, he also expressed concern that the world is still not prepared for the scale and immediacy of the upcoming technological shifts, particularly the arrival of humanoid robots in everyday life. The idea of humanoid robots entering the workforce might seem like a far-off dream, but as Altman points out, it is closer than many realise."We've always been transparent about what we think the impact of AI will be, realising we'll likely be wrong about some of the details," Altman OpenAI is actively working on its humanoid robot project. Earlier this year, OpenAI announced its collaboration with Figure AI, a startup focused on developing humanoid robots. As reported by Business Insider, OpenAI signed a deal with Figure AI earlier this year to accelerate the development of humanoid robots designed to assist in various sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, and retail. Figure has already launched its robot, the Figure-01. The company said this humanoid is designed to help solve labour shortages by performing physically demanding jobs. The company also demonstrated the robot operating a coffee machine, a feat which the robot managed to do with the help of AI that learned the task by watching humans. Brett Adcock, Figure's founder and CEO, called the demonstration a milestone in 'end-to-end AI', where a single model learns a complete task advancements in AI and robotics, we could soon find ourselves in a world where robots are not just tools but active participants in daily life. However, Altman warns that the change will come sooner than expected, and the world may not be ready for it. His view is that shift to robots could be more dramatic than anyone anticipates.
