OpenAI, renowned for its ChatGPT AI models, embarks on a groundbreaking endeavor by integrating its artificial intelligence systems into humanoid robots through a strategic partnership with robotics startup Figure.
Figure, a nascent player in the robotics landscape, unveiled a momentous deal with OpenAI alongside a substantial $675 million venture capital injection, featuring notable backers like Jeff Bezos, Microsoft, Nvidia, and key divisions of Amazon, Intel, and OpenAI itself. Despite its youthfulness and absence of a commercial product, Figure garners support from influential tech industry stakeholders for its ambitious vision of proliferating human-like robots across workplaces and households worldwide.
CEO Brett Adcock envisions a future where humanoids alleviate labor shortages by undertaking tasks undesirable to humans, potentially leading to the widespread adoption of millions, if not billions, of such robots. For OpenAI, known for its pioneering work in AI large language models powering ChatGPT, this partnership signifies a transformative step towards leveraging robotics to enhance everyday life, as articulated by Peter Welinder, the company’s vice president of product and partnerships.
The collaboration entails OpenAI crafting specialized AI models tailored for Figure’s humanoid robots, leveraging its cutting-edge technologies like GPT language models, DALL-E image generator, and the newly developed video-generator Sora. As outlined in Figure’s official announcement, this strategic alliance aims to expedite Figure’s commercial trajectory by empowering its robots to comprehend and process natural language, thereby enhancing their functionality and utility.
While Figure previously announced an agreement with BMW to deploy its robots at a car manufacturing plant in South Carolina, the specifics of their role and deployment timeline remain undetermined. Robotics experts hold divergent views on the efficacy of humanoid robots, with most industrial robots exhibiting animal-like features rather than full humanoid forms due to the complex challenges in developing functional robotic limbs over decades.
Altman alluded to a renewed focus on robotics during a podcast conversation with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, highlighting the company’s strategic shift towards investing in promising robotics hardware platforms. Altman acknowledged past setbacks in OpenAI’s robotics endeavors, attributing them to premature exploration and technical challenges such as inadequate simulators and mechanical issues. He emphasized the prioritization of intelligence and cognition before addressing physical embodiment, signaling OpenAI’s deliberate approach towards integrating AI into robotics for optimal performance and impact.