VC investors Jesse Coors and Greg Hill discuss Figure AI’s humanoid robot and its potential uses and timeline with John Koetsier on NEXT.
Coors says he and Hill invested in Figure because they see humanoid robotics as a large market and praise the company’s robotics team. He describes the immediate challenge as getting the robot working and into a third-party logistics facility.
Coors describes Figure 01 as an electric humanoid designed to move packages and boxes, beginning with simple picking tasks in warehouses and fulfillment centers. The investors argue that a human-like form could work in spaces already designed for people, including facilities with difficult conditions. They point to labor shortages and turnover as reasons to start with repetitive physical work.
The robot’s battery is intended to be recharged rather than swapped daily, with an expected runtime of about five hours, according to the discussion. Its hands are designed to handle varied packages and objects, and the investors say it can walk, fall, and get back up. Figure combines simulated training with training on physical robots; the company was also exploring AI language models, though the details were described as sensitive.
The investors imagine robots increasing physical productivity, potentially supporting manufacturing in the United States and taking on work people may not want to do. They raise questions about whether the cost of physical labor could fall substantially, and what that might mean for taxation and new kinds of work. They also describe AI as a possible tool for addressing infrastructure challenges, citing fusion research and access to clean water and food.
When Koetsier asks when Figure could do useful customer work, an investor says the target is 2024, initially with a small number of closely involved users. The company had built a factory-like setup to simulate a worker’s full day, with a Geodis executive helping check the job requirements. The investors say dependable performance in one warehouse role would be a key proof point before expanding to other settings.
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Peter Diamandis, founder of XPRIZE and co-founder of Singularity University, discusses humanoid robots with John Koetsier on NEXT, which Koetsier introduces as TechFirst.
Brett, Figure’s lead speaker, outlines the company’s plan to build general-purpose humanoid robots at Figure’s 2026 all-hands, introduced by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Figure CEO Brett Adcock discusses Helix 2.5, robotics data and compute, and Figure 4 with hosts at RoboStrategy.
Figure’s main speaker and Corey, the company’s head of AI, present Helix 2.5’s performance in 30 Bay Area homes and explain the role of human experience data in its training.
Figure founder and CEO Brett Adcock discusses an autonomous package-sorting shift, Helix, robot design, and Figure’s plans for general-purpose robots with the Over The Horizon panel.
Brett Adcock, founder of Figure, discusses humanoid robot development, manufacturing, and commercialization with Molly O’Shea on Sourcery.
