Elon Musk may have just found another reason to have a grudge against OpenAI. Figure, a startup partnering with OpenAI to develop a humanoid robot, has released an impressive new video showcasing its creation, Figure 01, leaving Tesla’s efforts in the dust.
In the video, available on YouTube, Figure 01 engages in a natural conversation with a human, demonstrating its ability to identify objects and carry out tasks. It’s quite the leap forward compared to what Tesla has shown with its Optimus robot.
During the interaction, Figure 01 identifies objects on a table and hands an apple to the human upon request. When asked to clean up some trash, the robot responds with both an explanation and action, showcasing its processing power and agility.
The highlight comes when Figure 01 correctly predicts the next step based on the placement of dishes on the table, displaying remarkable dexterity in handling cups and plates.
It’s worth watching the full video to appreciate the advancements made by Figure. But what about Tesla’s efforts? Well, while Tesla’s Optimus can walk and fold laundry, closer inspection reveals some human intervention in its demonstrations.
In a laundry-folding video from January, keen observers noticed movements that seemed too perfect to be true. It turns out, there was indeed teleoperation involved, where a human controlled Optimus’s actions remotely.
In contrast, Figure 01 operates entirely on end-to-end neural networks, as confirmed by Figure’s co-founder Brett Adcock. This means no human intervention, unlike Tesla’s approach.
While Tesla certainly has the capability to catch up, Figure has taken a significant lead with its robot, benefiting from a team of experts from companies like Boston Dynamics and DeepMind.
Corey Lynch, an AI expert at Figure, expressed pride in their achievements, highlighting the strides made in humanoid robotics. It’s clear that Figure’s advancements represent a significant leap forward from the days of teleoperated robots.
So, will Musk’s team be able to bridge the gap? Only time will tell. But for now, Figure’s Figure 01 stands as a testament to the progress in robotics technology.
