Terminator? This humanoid robot is literally built for war (and more)

In this talk

1. 1:44

   How Foundation reached production

   Pathak says Foundation combined an acquired Munich AI research lab and a hardware company with experienced hires from Tesla, 1X, Boston Dynamics, and SpaceX. The company had a walking robot and two robots working in a car factory within about 18 months. It planned to ship more robots soon.

2. 3:32

   Scaling production and service

   Pathak describes a target of more than 40 units in 2025 and a possible 10,000 in 2026, with production ramping through the year. He says much of assembly will remain manual to avoid automating too early. Foundation sells robots as a service and expects to focus on a few large customers, while expanding support and maintenance.

3. 13:04

   Phantom’s design and capabilities

   Pathak describes Phantom as about 1.75 meters tall and 80 kilograms, with a stated payload of 20 kilograms that he says is conservative. He says its backdrivable actuators yield when pushed, and their low friction helps limit heat and support long operating hours. The current hands suit pick-and-place work; a tendon-actuated version is in development.

4. 8:36

   From industrial work to a lunar base

   Pathak says Foundation’s long-term goal is to help build a city-like base on the Moon, with an Antarctic or other remote Earth site serving as a proving ground for large-scale infrastructure work. He links that ambition to scaling Phantom: he estimates 10,000 robots could generate about $1 billion in recurring revenue, and 40,000 about $5 billion.

5. 23:22

   Military roles and human control

   Pathak names logistics, inspection, and entering unknown situations as military tasks where robots could reduce risks to soldiers. He says Foundation is conducting its first pilot involving building-breaching operations. In discussing control, he compares the approach to drones: robots may handle movement autonomously, while decisions about where to go or shoot remain human-directed.