Figure-ai

Speaking at an NVIDIA GTC panel, Figure CEO Brett Adcock dismissed teleoperation as "soy stuff" and claimed the real race is for general-purpose AI, not manufacturing, in the US vs. China competition.

An ISO working group is meeting in Barcelona to write safety standards. Memos from Figure's former safety lead, published earlier this year, provide a sober contrast to recent hype, detailing the immense difficulty in safely managing bipedal robots that can fall, misinterpret commands, or pose battery risks.

Speaking at Dreamforce, Figure CEO Brett Adcock dismissed manufacturing as the primary challenge for humanoids, claiming the race is to solve general intelligence. He projected a timeline that could see his robots performing general tasks in novel environments as soon as next year.

TIME Magazine has recognized two humanoid robots, the ultra-affordable Unitree R1 and the domestically-focused Figure 03, in its annual Best Inventions list, signaling the growing mainstream relevance of bipedal robotics.

A new TIME Magazine cover story provides the first in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at Figure and its new Figure 03 humanoid. The report contrasts the company's grand ambitions for a robot in every home with the current, often clumsy, reality of its capabilities, highlighting the significant data and safety hurdles that remain.