Humanoid robot startup Figure AI valued at $2.6 billion as Bezos, OpenAI, Nvidia join funding

Humanoid robot startup Figure AI valued at $2.6 billion as Bezos, OpenAI, Nvidia join funding

Figure AI, a startup working to build humanoid robots that can perform dangerous and undesirable jobs, just got a big vote of confidence from some of the largest names in artificial intelligence.

The company said Thursday that it raised $675 million at a $2.6 billion valuation from investors including Jeff Bezos, Nvidia, and Microsoft.

Founded in 2022, Figure AI has developed a general-purpose robot, called Figure 01, that looks and moves like a human. The company sees its robots being put to use in manufacturing, shipping and logistics, warehousing, and retail, “where labor shortages are the most severe,” though its machines aren’t intended for military or defense applications.

Earlier this week, the company released a video showing Figure 01 in action. The robot, attached to a tether, walks on two legs, and uses its five-fingered hands to pick up a plastic crate, then walks several more steps before placing the box on a conveyor belt.

Figure’s ultimate aim is for Figure 01 to be able to perform “everyday tasks autonomously.” The company says getting there will require it to develop more robust AI systems.

Meanwhile, Figure is part of a crowded field of companies vying to make humanoid robots a reality. Amazon-backed Agility Robotics plans to open a factory that can produce up to 10,000 of its bipedal Digit robots per year. Tesla is also trying to build a humanoid robot, called Optimus, while robotics company Boston Dynamics has developed several models. Norwegian humanoid robot startup 1X Technologies recently raised $100 million with backing from OpenAI.

The market is nascent. Analysts at Goldman Sachs expect the humanoid robot market to reach $38 billion by 2035, and project that more than 250,000 units could be shipped in 2030.

“Right now we’re at an early curve where there’s loads of interest in humanoids, and I think that will continue for a while,” said Tom Andersson, co-founder and principal analyst of STIQ Ltd., which publishes research on robotics and retail technologies. Andersson said there will need to be “several step changes” before it can be rolled out broadly.

As part of the deal announced Thursday, Figure said it’s partnering with ChatGPT maker OpenAI to “develop next generation AI models for humanoid robots.” It will also use Microsoft’s Azure cloud services for AI infrastructure, training and storage, Figure said.

Humanoid robots require expensive components such as actuators, motors and sensors to function. Goldman researchers say those costs are expected to come down in the coming years, noting they’ve already dropped to between $30,000 and $150,000 per unit, from a range of $50,000 to $250,000 per unit last year.

Intel’s venture fund was also part of the Figure investment round along with Cathie Wood’s Ark Invest, Align Ventures and existing investor Parkway Venture Capital.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com