Figure AI develops humanoid robots capable of moving around, handling objects and following instructions. Based in Sunnyvale, California, this American company is pursuing a simple but technically demanding idea: adapting machines to existing workspaces rather than completely redesigning those spaces around them. Its project combines mechanics, electronics, perception and machine learning, with priority given to repetitive or physically demanding industrial tasks.
A company born in the new humanoid wave
Figure AI was founded in 2022 by Brett Adcock, an entrepreneur known in particular for co-founding Archer Aviation, which specializes in electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. The company brought together expertise in robotics and artificial intelligence amid renewed interest in general-purpose machines.
The company has presented several generations of prototypes, including Figure 01 followed by Figure 02, unveiled in 2024. It has also attracted technology investors, including Microsoft and Nvidia. This backing enables it to fund a costly development process that requires simultaneous advances in hardware, software and manufacturing capabilities. It does not, however, guarantee the robots’ future profitability.
From handling objects to factory tasks
The humanoid robot is the visible part of the project. The main challenge lies in its ability to perceive a situation, understand an instruction and produce the appropriate movements. Figure is working in particular on articulated hands, movement coordination and the use of images captured by onboard cameras. The aim is to reduce the task-specific programming required for each new task.
Introduced in 2025, its Helix system follows this approach: it combines vision, language and action to drive robotic behaviors based on instructions. This approach aims for greater versatility than that of specialized automated machines. Demonstrations must nevertheless be distinguished from autonomous, reliable and sustained operation in a production environment.
In 2024, Figure announced an agreement with BMW to explore the use of its humanoids at the Spartanburg plant in South Carolina. Trials there focused on handling parts. This industrial setting makes it possible to assess the technology’s practical value against the production rate, precision and safety constraints specific to the automotive industry.
What next?
The transition from prototype to equipment that can be deployed at scale remains the main challenge. Figure will need to demonstrate its robots’ availability, ease of maintenance and a cost of use compatible with customers’ needs. Safety when working alongside employees will be equally decisive.
Home assistance would considerably broaden the range of possible uses, but would introduce situations less predictable than those in a factory. For Figure AI, progress will therefore be measured less by the fluidity of a demonstration than by the repeated performance of useful tasks under real-world conditions and with well-managed supervision.