Companies GUIDE
Figure AI Humanoid Robots
Figure AI develops humanoid robots and the Helix family of vision-language-action models.
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Overview
Figure describes these systems as aiming for general-purpose physical tasks; capabilities depend on the specific robot generation, model, and tested environment.
Deep Dive
Figure AI was founded by Brett Adcock in 2022. In 2024, Figure 02 was tested at BMW Group Plant Spartanburg, where BMW and Figure described trials placing sheet-metal parts into fixtures. Figure introduced its Helix vision-language-action model in February 2025, describing a System 2 for higher-level reasoning and a fast System 1 for visual-motor control. The original Helix announcement focused on upper-body control, including hands and fingers. In January 2026, Figure introduced Helix 02, which it describes as extending learned control to the full humanoid body. These are company- and partner-reported deployments and demos, not evidence of universal autonomy.
Real-World Implementation
Understanding the difference between Figure’s 2024 BMW pilot and later commercial demonstrations
Studying how Helix connects visual perception, language instructions, and robot action
Comparing the original upper-body Helix system with Helix 02’s full-body control research
Evaluating a factory task such as sheet-metal placement under controlled robot trials
The Future of Figure AI Humanoid Robots
Figure continues to develop humanoid hardware and Helix models for household and industrial tasks. New demos should be evaluated by task duration, degree of autonomy, human intervention, and the robot generation used. Commercial deployment requires separate reliability and safety validation.
Putting it into practice
Why it matters
- Vendor strategy. Vendor roadmaps influence what features your team can build next.
- Cost and budget. Commercial terms and deployment options affect long-term cost and risk.
- Risk and safety. Company incentives shape product defaults, safety posture, and openness.
Watch out for
- Launch announcements may outpace stability in real production workflows.
- API pricing or policy shifts can break assumptions overnight.
- Single-vendor dependency increases lock-in and migration costs.
Next steps
- Evaluate providers using your own tasks and datasets.
- Review privacy, security, and legal terms before integration.
- Maintain a fallback plan across models or vendors.
- Monitor release notes so roadmap changes do not surprise teams.
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Frequently asked questions
What is Figure AI Humanoid Robots?
Figure AI develops humanoid robots and the Helix family of vision-language-action models. Figure describes these systems as aiming for general-purpose physical tasks; capabilities depend on the specific robot generation, model, and tested environment.
What is the name of Figure AI’s in-house vision-language-action model introduced in 2025?
Figure announced Helix in February 2025 as its vision-language-action model for humanoid control.
At which company’s factory did Figure 02 conduct manufacturing trials in 2024?
BMW reported trials of Figure 02 at its Spartanburg plant, including placing sheet-metal parts into fixtures.
Who founded Figure AI?
Brett Adcock founded Figure AI in 2022; he had previously started other ventures including Archer Aviation.
What does the 'general-purpose' goal for Figure's humanoids primarily mean?
The general-purpose pitch is a single hardware platform that learns many tasks through software rather than building a specialized machine per job.
Which design idea best describes how Helix controls the robot?
Helix uses a dual-system approach: slower high-level reasoning to plan plus a fast network producing continuous motor commands in real time.
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