OpenAI Partners with Figure: Unlocking the Future of Humanoid Robotics

MetaversePlanet March 4, 2024

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OpenAI, known for developing artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, Dall-E, and Sora, along with its CEO, Sam Altman, have shown a significant interest in the field of robotics. Their focus has now culminated in a partnership with Figure AI, a startup specializing in humanoid robots.

OpenAI has expressed that this collaboration will pave the way for robots to play a more integral role in daily life, highlighting the potential for new applications and assistance that these humanoid robots can offer.

OpenAI and Figure partnership announced

OpenAI Partners with Figure: Unlocking the Future of Humanoid Robotics

Recently, it was reported that Figure AI secured a substantial investment of $675 million, valuing the company at $2.6 billion. This financial boost was supported by a consortium of leading tech giants, including Microsoft, the OpenAI Startup Fund, Nvidia, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Parkway Venture Capital, Intel Capital, Align Ventures, and ARK Invest.

Yet, an even more significant development was highlighted in their press release: the partnership with OpenAI. The collaboration agreement between Figure and OpenAI is set to usher in a new era for humanoid robots by developing advanced artificial intelligence models specifically tailored for these applications. This partnership will merge OpenAI’s expertise in generative AI models with Figure AI’s prowess in robotic hardware and software.

Figure’s ambition is to create humanoid robots that possess sophisticated language processing and reasoning abilities, utilizing OpenAI’s multimodal artificial intelligence models, which include visual, audio, and video capabilities. This venture promises to revolutionize the field of humanoid robotics, opening up a future filled with intriguing possibilities where robots integrated with generative AI models become a reality.

OpenAI has consistently advocated for the transformative potential of robots in shaping the future. In alignment with this vision, last year, it invested in another robotics company, 1X Technologies. Figure, meanwhile, has revealed that its robot, named Figure-01, is designed to offer support in sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, and retail, potentially alleviating labor shortages.

Furthermore, Figure’s humanoid robots are in the preparatory stages to be deployed at BMW facilities. Remarkably, last month, Figure-01 demonstrated its capability to make coffee solely using neural networks.

Additionally, it’s worth noting that Figure will leverage Microsoft Azure for its AI infrastructure, training, and storage needs. Given that Microsoft is OpenAI’s largest investor, this strategic use of Azure further underscores the interconnected support and collaboration within this burgeoning ecosystem of AI and robotics.