OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has entered into a groundbreaking partnership with robotics startup Figure to integrate AI systems into humanoid robots. Figure, based in Sunnyvale, California, secured $675 million in venture capital funding from notable backers like Jeff Bezos, Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, Intel, and OpenAI.
Despite being a young company without a commercial product, Figure aims to revolutionize workplaces and homes by introducing billions of human-like robots. CEO Brett Adcock envisions a future where these robots can perform tasks that humans may not prefer, potentially leading to the sale of millions or even billions of units.
For OpenAI, known for its AI language models like GPT, this collaboration signifies a return to robotics research. The partnership will see OpenAI developing specialized AI models, likely based on their existing technologies such as GPT, DALL-E, and Sora, to enhance Figure's humanoid robots' capabilities.
By enabling the robots to process and reason from language, OpenAI aims to expedite Figure's commercial timeline. While Figure has already secured a deal with BMW for robot deployment at a car plant in South Carolina, the specific applications are yet to be determined.
Robotics experts hold varying opinions on the practicality of humanoid robots, with most industrial robots featuring animal-like features rather than full human form due to the complexity of developing functional limbs. OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman acknowledged the company's earlier foray into robotics, which was paused due to technical challenges, emphasizing the importance of intelligence and cognition before focusing on physicality.
This partnership between OpenAI and Figure marks a significant step towards integrating advanced AI into robotics, potentially reshaping the future of automation and human-robot interactions.
