A number of leading tech companies have invested in the startup Figure AI, which is developing an avant-garde prototype of human-like robots.
The company is raising about $675 million in funding with the help of investors such as Jeff Bezos and Microsoft Corporation, in order to create autonomous humanoid workers that can address real-world labor shortages.
The robot – called Figure 01 – is an autonomous machine equipped with artificial intelligence and able to think, learn and interact safely with humans. A 6 feet tall humanoid with a load capacity of 20 kilograms and a battery life of 5 hours, Figure 01 will be tasked with hazardous warehouse jobs for which there are not enough workers.
According to informed sources, Jeff Bezos, through his company Explore Investments LLC, has pledged $100 million, while Microsoft is contributing $95 million. Nvidia and an Amazon-related fund, on the other hand, have contributed $50 million each, respectively.
OpenAI, despite rumors of a possible acquisition of Figure AI, has chosen to invest $5 million in the startup – to which Intel’s venture capital arm, LG Innotek, Samsung’s investment group, and venture firms Parkway Venture Capital and Align Ventures have also contributed various sums.
