Published on: February 6, 2025 / update from: February 6, 2025 - Author: Konrad Wolfenstein
GPT-3 moment of robotics? Openai, Figure Ai & Co. On the way to mass production - Image: Xpert.digital
From vision to reality: Humanoid robots conquer industry and everyday life
Global dynamics and AI power: the development of robotics
The rapid development of humanoid robots by companies such as Openaai, Figure Ai and others marks a fundamental change in the robotics industry. This technological evolution is promoted by three essential factors: the integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI), strategic industrial partnerships and the increasing global competitive dynamics. The progress in these areas pave the way for a new generation of intelligent machines that not only optimize industrial processes, but can also assist in everyday environments.
Openai as a driving force of AI robotics
With brand registrations for "user-programmable humanoid robots" and the revival of its robotics team under the direction of Caitlin Kalinowski (formerly Meta), Openai has set clear signs. The company pursues ambitious plans to develop humanoid robots with tailor-made sensors, own AI chips and mass production of over one million units. These machines should be able to move and act in dynamic environments with human -like intelligence - a concept that goes far beyond the traditional use of industrial robots.
A central goal of Openaai is the development of AI-controlled robotics that continuously learns through generative models and is flexibly adapting to new challenges. While previous robots have mainly been programmed for specific tasks, Openai aims at a kind of "universal worker" who can adapt to changing conditions without complex reprogramming. This opens up completely new possible uses - from the logistics industry to health care to private households.
Change of strategy at Figure AI: Independence of Openai
Figure AI, which originally had a close partnership with Openaai, is now increasingly relying on its own AI models to achieve vertical integration of hardware and software. This decision indicates a profound change in the industry: Robotics companies are increasingly investing in domain -specific AI in order to make their systems more precise and adaptable.
An outstanding example of this approach is the use of humanid robots in the BMW production facilities. Here, machines take on physical tasks in body shop, which were previously done exclusively by humans. The independence of Openais Ki technology allows Figure AI to make specific optimizations for industrial processes and to promote your own innovative strength.
This trend could continue in the entire robotics industry: Companies that develop hardware and tailor-made AI models will be able to provide more powerful and efficient systems. The focus on industrial applications also shows that humanoid robots will initially be used primarily in production and logistics before they gradually penetrate the consumer area.
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3. The "GPT-3 moment" of the robotics
According to Nvidia researcher Jim Fan, the robotic is faced with a breakthrough, comparable to the moment when GPT-3 revolutionized the language AI. Within the next two to three years, high-performance robot basic models could be created that enable machines to train through reinforcement learning in simulated environments.
These training methods have already proven to be promising in the first experiments. One example is the DLR robot Justin, who was able to learn complex tasks with the help of cloud computing. If humanoid robots use similarly powerful models in the future, this could significantly improve their ability to adapt to new scenarios. Such a basic model would make it possible for robots to no longer only perform specific tasks, but act as a generalist- a development that could influence the entire economic and social life.
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Paradigm shift in the robotics industry
From specialized machines to universal helpers
The new humanoid robots from Tesla (Optimus) or Figure AI (Figure 01) are designed in such a way that they can take on a wide range of physical tasks. While previous industrial robots have mostly only been optimized for one activity, future models should be universally applicable - from storage work to support in the household.
Scaling and mass production
A decisive factor for the market acceptance of humanoid robots is cost reduction. Elon Musk sees a threshold of less than $ 20,000 per unit as necessary to make humanoid robots suitable for mass markets. Figure AI is already working on scaling strategies with BMW to significantly reduce production costs.
Global competitive dynamics
While companies from the United States and Europe are currently driving technological development, China pushes into the humanoid robotics market at high pressure. Companies such as UniTree (with the model G1) or Ubtech (with Walker S) develop powerful humanoid machines and benefit from China's strong industrial robotics sector. In the near future, China could rise not only through inexpensive production, but also through technological innovations to a global market leader.
Challenges and open questions
Despite the impressive progress, there are still many hurdles that have to be overcome before humanoid robots can become omnipresent. The greatest challenges include:
- Security and ethical questions: The increasing autonomy of robots requires clear regulatory framework to minimize security risks and address ethical problems.
- Optimizing data pipelines for AI training: The development of robots that can flexibly adapt to new environments requires large amounts of high-quality training material-an area in which there are still many optimization options.
- Dependence on cloud infrastructures: Many AI-controlled robots need a permanent connection to the cloud for arithmetic processes. This can not only lead to delays, but also have security risks, especially in critical areas of application.
- Acceptance in society: The integration of humanoid robots into everyday life will depend heavily on how they are perceived by the population. While they are already established in industry, there could be reservations in other areas, especially when it comes to job losses or data protection.
The future of humanoid robotics
The robotic industry is on the threshold of a revolution. Generative AI models, humanoid form factors and strategic industrial partnerships drive development rapidly. Openai plays a key role - not only as a software supplier, but increasingly as a hardware developer. At the same time, companies such as Figure AI rely on independence and specialized AI models to offer specific industry solutions.
The competition between American, European and Chinese companies will further increase innovation speed. In the coming years, a completely new market for humanoid robots could develop - with profound effects on industry, the service sector and the everyday life of people. The question is no longer whether humanoid robots are entering our society, but rather how quickly and to what extent this will happen.
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