According to Bloomberg, on February 24, local time, a person familiar with the matter said that Amazon founder Bezos, Nvidia and other large technology companies are competing to invest in Figure AI, a humanoid robot start-up, and actively explore new opportunities for "humanoid robots" as AI technology.
According to the report, Figure AI is also supported by OpenAI and Microsoft. The company will raise about $6$7.5 billion, with a pre-transaction valuation of approximately $2 billion. Bezos pledged $100 million through his company, Explore Investments LLC. Microsoft will invest $95 million, and Nvidia and an Amazon-affiliated ** will provide $50 million each.
Currently, the company's engineers are working on a robot called "Figure 01" that looks and moves like a human. The company said it hopes that "Figure 01" will be able to perform dangerous jobs that are not suitable for humans, and that its technology will be used to alleviate problems such as future labor shortages.
Founded in 2022, Figure AI closed a $70 million funding round led by Parkway Venture Capital last May, followed by a $9 million investment from Intel two months later.
Humanoid robots can imitate the appearance and behavior of humans, and the technical level integrates a number of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, high-end manufacturing, and new materials. Robotics is a combination of AI, sensors, and actuators, and NVIDIA has established a research department called "Gear", which is committed to realizing intelligent applications across multiple modalities and scenarios, and will accelerate the development of intelligent agents that can adapt to various environments, have a wide range of skills, and can operate effectively in the virtual and real worlds, and promote the continuous progress and development of the entire artificial intelligence and robotics industry. According to some analysts, 2024 will be the year of rapid breakthroughs in robot software technology, and it will also be the first year of mass production of humanoid robots, and the first year of mass production of robots from 0 to 1 is expected to bring huge industrial opportunities.
According to ** report, on February 24, Tesla released a new paragraph on the social platform X, showing the smooth walking ability of Tesla's second-generation humanoid robot Optimus. Compared to the ** released a few weeks ago, the optimus on display appears to be an updated or more complete version, with a more steady pace and smoother movements during walking, which is closer to that of a human.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has paid significantly more attention to robots this year, and the performance meeting also mentioned that "robot progress will be released from time to time". Previously, Musk said at the financial report meeting that the company plans to ship the first batch of humanoid robots Optimus in 2025, and the mass production progress is gradually clear, and it is expected to usher in the finalization of parts and components in 2024, and the humanoid robot industry chain will usher in opportunities.
*: Economic Information Daily).