Figure will also be leveraging Microsoft Azure for AI Infrastructure, training, and storage. The company is backed by Microsoft, NVIDIA, Intel Capital, etc. (Express Image/Instagram)
OpenaAI is moving forward to deploying its technology into humanoid robots. The Sam Altman-led AI startup is collaborating with Figure AI, an AI robotics company that builds humanoid robots designed to be deployed in the workforce. The company aims to address labour shortages and support supply chains. Figure AI currently serves clients in the US.
Figure on February 29 announced that it has raised $675 million in Series B funding at a $2.6 billion valuation with investment from OpenAI Startup Fund, Microsoft, Jeff Bezos (via Bezos Expeditions), Parkway Venture Capital, Intel Capital, Nvidia, ARK Invest and Align Ventures. This investment is expected to accelerate the company’s deployment of its humanoid robot for commercial purposes.
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Along with the massive investment, Figure has also agreed to collaborate with OpenAI to develop next-generation AI models for humanoid robots. This will combine OpenAI’s research with Figure’s deep understanding of robotics both hardware and software. According to the official statement, this partnership aims to help the robotic company accelerate its timeline by enhancing the capabilities of humanoid robots to process and reason from language.
“We’ve always planned to come back to robotics and we see a path with Figure to explore what humanoid robots can achieve when powered by highly capable multimodal models. 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.
What is Figure AI?
The company, founded in 2022 in Sunnyvale, California, came into the limelight after it introduced its general-purpose robot named Figure 01 which has movements similar to humans. The company is founded by Brett Adcock who is currently also serving as the CEO. Currently, the Figure team consists of some top robotics experts from Tesla, Google DeepMind, Boston Dynamics, and Archer Aviation. The company has so far made significant progress in areas such as AI, robot development, robot testing, and commercialisation.
Reportedly, the newly raised capital will be used to scale up AI training, and robot manufacturing, expanding engineering headcount, and advancing commercial deployment efforts. Besides, Figure will also be leveraging Microsoft Azure for AI Infrastructure, training, and storage.
“Our vision at Figure is to bring humanoid robots into commercial operations as soon as possible. This investment, combined with our partnership with OpenAI and Microsoft, ensures that we are well-prepared to bring embodied AI into the world to make a transformative impact on humanity,” said Adcock in the official statement.
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