Figure

Humanoid robotics firm Figure AI has reportedly sent cease-and-desist letters to secondary market brokers, demanding they stop marketing its shares. This action follows reports of the company seeking a massive new funding round at a $39.5 billion valuation and contrasts with the CEO's earlier claim of being highly sought-after on secondary markets.

Logistics giant UPS is reportedly in discussions with humanoid robotics startup Figure AI about potentially deploying its robots for tasks within UPS's network. While details are scarce and unconfirmed, the talks reflect growing interest in using human-like robots for flexible automation in logistics.

Figure AI CEO Brett Adcock announced via LinkedIn that the company is pursuing legal action, including potential defamation claims, against Fortune magazine. Adcock alleges a recent article contained 'egregious inaccuracies' regarding Figure's business and its partnership with BMW Manufacturing.

Investor Chris Camillo shares his conversion from humanoid robot skeptic to major believer, outlining his thesis that 'embodied AI' represents an 'infinite labor machine' set to transform industries like manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare. He discusses key players (Tesla, Figure, Apptronik), timelines (pilots now, scaling in 3-5 years, ubiquitous in 10-30), the RaaS business model, and potential economic impact, while cautioning against near-term hype.

Figure CEO Brett Adcock refuted a Fast Company claim that his company uses planetary roller screws, stating Figure relies on rotary actuators. The dispute highlights a key design debate in humanoid robotics: direct rotary drive versus linear actuators (which use screws) with linkages, as detailed by expert Scott Walter.