Microsoft and OpenAI are reportedly in talks to invest up to $500 million in Figure AI, a startup focused on developing autonomous humanoid workers. According to Bloomberg, this potential investment could value Figure AI at $1.9 billion, potentially making it the first humanoid robotics unicorn.
Figure AI, founded in 2022 by CEO Brett Adcock, aims to deploy autonomous humanoid workers globally. The company has assembled a team of top roboticists from companies like Tesla and Boston Dynamics, known for their work on robot dogs.
The interest in humanoid robotics comes as the market is expected to be worth $3 trillion by 2050. Nvidia senior AI scientist Jim Fan believes that robotics will be the biggest thing in 2024, second only to LLMs. Companies like Figure AI are racing to develop the most advanced versions of humanoid robots.
Figure AI recently announced a partnership with BMW, with the German automaker planning to trial the startup’s humanoid robots in one of its South Carolina factories. The agreement aims to explore how these robots can assist with automotive production.
The competition in the humanoid robotics space is growing, with Elon Musk’s Tesla also working on its own humanoid robot called Optimus, or Tesla bot. Musk mentioned in an earnings call that there is a good chance the company will begin shipping units of Optimus next year.
Meanwhile, US-based rivals Agility Robotics and Apptronik are already testing their robots in Amazon warehouses, indicating the progress being made in this field.
Microsoft and OpenAI’s potential investment in Figure AI demonstrates their recognition of the significant opportunities in the humanoid robotics market. Both tech giants are actively exploring options to inject capital into the startup, highlighting their commitment to driving innovation in this space.
Please note that Microsoft, OpenAI, and Figure AI have not yet responded to requests for comment.
