Technology is moving ever faster into the future. We have noticed this in the last few hours, with news that has filled the news: Neuralink has installed the first neuronal implant in the brain of a human being. It is useless to specify how many implications this sensational innovation may have from a technological, medical and above all ethical point of view.
Another recent technological arrival that never ceases to be talked about is certainly artificial intelligence, especially in its textual and visual declinations of generative AI.
Here too, the boundaries of the possible are always pushed a little further, for example approaching a man-machine hybridization that until recently was relegated to the world of science fiction.
This is demonstrated by the negotiations between Future AI on the one hand, and Microsoft and OpenAI on the other, for the creation of a humanoid robot. What do we know about the possible partnership?
Future AI with Microsoft and OpenAI for a humanoid robot
The news was reported by Bloomberg on Tuesday 30 January. And the title of the article already tells us a lot: “Humanoid robot startup Figure AI in funding talks with Microsoft and OpenAI.”
Microsoft, which is increasingly focusing on its partnership with OpenAI, is therefore thinking of an investment in Figure AI. That is, a startup specialized in the development of humanoid robots. According to Bloomberg, the state of the negotiation is already at an advanced stage. Microsoft and OpenAI reportedly took part in a $500 million investment round. The target? The development of a humanoid robot based on ChatGPT.
The overall commitment of the two companies should be 100 million dollars: 95 from Microsoft and the remaining 5 coming from Sam Altman’s company.
Also according to Bloomberg, the financing could value Figure AI (founded in 2022) at $1.9 billion.
Figure 01
The humanoid robot designed by Figure AI, in which Microsoft and OpenAI are reportedly investing, is called Figure 01 at least for now. And it is designed, like most robots used in the workplace, to carry out tasks that are too dangerous for human beings. But if OpenAI is also entering the project, the robot will evidently have additional features that we are currently unaware of. Just as the release times of the product are not known.
A new generation of humanoid robots?
The feeling is that many are working on a new generation of humanoid robots.
Recently 1X Technologies, a Norwegian startup in the same sector also financially supported by OpenAI, obtained 100 million dollars in funding. Also joining the game is the inevitable Elon Musk, with his Optimus.
Optimus
The humanoid robot Optimus has been talked about since the beginning of 2022, but recently Elon Musk has revealed the cards.
Speaking to investors at a conference, Musk said that with “good probability” the first humanoid Optimus robots, also called Tesla Bot, could be operational as early as next year. And, at least according to the words spoken by Musk himself at the Tesla AI Day in October 2023, each unit could cost less than $20,000.
In the meantime, in recent days a video of Optimus has circulated online (which naturally the owner of Tesla showed in a post su X), who diligently folds – and even with a certain slowness, but let’s not expect too much – some T-shirts.
Will it be the year of humanoid robots?
In short, can we expect an imminent turning point in the field of humanoid robots?
Certainly, progress is notable in many ways. For example, the University of Tokyo developed, and demonstrated to the public, Alter3. It is a robot capable of assuming different postures, very similar to human ones, during a conversation. Alter3, which uses OpenAI’s GPT-4 language model, can among other things take a selfie and mimic a human being playing the guitar.
E let’s not forget Robot Spot, developed by Boston Dynamics. The robot dog has been integrated with ChatGPTand is now able to speak.
A curiosity: last December, our Carabinieri arm purchased a Robot Spot prototype. Who, under the name of Saetta, will collaborate with the Bomb Squad of Rome.
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