Robot Startup Figure Reveals an AI Breakthrough Called Helix

Figure, a Silicon Valley-based startup that builds humanoid robots, has announced Helix, a proprietary AI model that the company says enables robots to more easily pick up objects, collaborate on tasks with other robots, and smoothly control their entire upper bodies. The launch comes weeks after Figure publicly ended a deal to collaborate on AI models with OpenAI, and after the company raised $1.5 billion. In a blog post, Figure wrote that Helix’s launch marks a major step in bringing humanoid robots into “everyday home environments.” Unlike previous versions of its models, Figure says that Helix doesn’t need to be fine-tuned or trained on hundreds of demonstrations in order to perform specific tasks. Instead, a new design allows the robots to interact with objects that they’ve never encountered before. The company says that Figure robots equipped with Helix “can pick up virtually any small household object.” In a video example of Helix’s capabilities, a man asks two Figure-made robots, both equipped with the Helix AI model, to put away a bag of groceries. After looking around, the robots slowly opened up a nearby fridge, put most of the food away, and placed an apple in a serving bowl. Up until recently, Figure had been in a partnership with OpenAI in which the two firms collaborated to customize OpenAI’s models so they could be used by Figure’s robots. But on February 4, Figure founder Brett Adcock announced on X that he had decided to pull his company out of the agreement. He said that Figure had “made a major breakthrough on fully end-to-end robot AI, built entirely in-house,” a clear nod to Helix’s imminent reveal. Adcock said that the company has been working on Helix for over a year. It’s been a busy month for Figure. On February 14, Bloomberg reported that the company was discussing a new funding round with firms Align Venture and Parkway Venture Capital that would raise $1.5 billion at a $39.5 billion valuation. Bloomberg said that much of investors’ enthusiasm comes from a recent breakthrough that has sped up Figure’s timeline for penetrating the home market with its robots, implying that investors got an early look at Helix. Figure isn’t the only company trying to make humanoid robots happen. Just last week, Reuters reported that Meta is establishing a new division that will create AI-powered humanoid robots, and humanoid robotics startup Apptronik raised $350 million, with one of its investors and partners being Google DeepMind. Also in the race is Tesla, with its “Optimus” robots, and rumors are swirling that Apple could enter the fray as well. BY BEN SHERRY @BENLUCASSHERRY