Figure AI Breaks from OpenAI to Focus on Its Own Humanoid Robots

Figure AI, a robotics company building humanoid robots for homes and businesses, announced Tuesday that it is ending its deal with OpenAI. The company will now focus on its own AI after a significant breakthrough. CEO Brett Adcock said that in the next 30 days, they will reveal something new in humanoid robots, something "no one has ever seen."

OpenAI had been a key investor in Figure. The two companies had partnered last year to develop AI for humanoid robots. At the time, Figure raised $675 million, valuing the company at $2.6 billion. It has now raised $1.5 billion in total from investors.

The news surprised many. OpenAI’s name has become a badge of credibility in the tech world. Just months ago, Figure had announced that its humanoid, the Figure 02, would use OpenAI’s AI models for communication.

But Adcock says the problem was integration. OpenAI, with its massive scope, wasn’t the right fit for the challenges of embodied AI—the type that brings intelligence to physical robots. To solve this, Figure realized it had to build its own system.

“We needed to vertically integrate our AI to solve embodied AI at scale,” Adcock explained. “We can’t outsource AI, just as we can’t outsource our hardware.”

OpenAI has invested in other humanoid projects, like Norwegian startup 1X. But Figure isn’t focused on home robots. Instead, it’s targeting industries with deeper pockets, like automotive manufacturing. BMW is already using Figure robots in its South Carolina factory.

OpenAI, meanwhile, may also be venturing into humanoid robots. The company filed a trademark last week for “user-programmable humanoid robots” with communication and entertainment functions.

While patents don’t always mean new products, the timing is hard to ignore. Figure’s recent funding has allowed it to expand rapidly. The company has moved into a larger office to support its growing teams in hardware and software.

The trend toward building in-house systems is growing. Many companies are moving toward vertical integration, as seen in Boston Dynamics’ recent partnership with Toyota Research Institute to bring AI to the Atlas humanoid robot.