Technology: ChatGPT company cooperates with robot developer

Technology
ChatGPT company cooperates with robot developer

The creators of the chatbot ChatGPT want to bring their software with artificial intelligence into humanoid robots. The start-up Figure wants to use OpenAI to develop new AI models for its machines that walk upright and can already carry out complex movements with their mechanical hands. In January, Figure agreed with BMW to supply robots for use in car production in the US state of South Carolina in the future.

OpenAI’s AI software is trained using massive amounts of data. Figure recently demonstrated in a video how one of the company’s robot prototypes prepares a cup of coffee using a capsule machine. This includes fine movements such as grasping the capsule and inserting it into the device. According to Figure, the robot learned this within ten hours.

The Silicon Valley robot company also announced a $675 million (around €623 million) financing round. Figure was valued at a total of $2.6 billion. In addition to the OpenAI start-up fund, the donors also include the chip companies Nvidia and Intel as well as Microsoft and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

The company Boston Dynamics, which now belongs to the South Korean car manufacturer Hyundai, has been working on humanoid robots for many years. And tech billionaire Elon Musk is also having an upright walking robot called Optimus developed by the electric car manufacturer Tesla he runs. Figure wants to bring its robots into commercial use as quickly as possible, emphasized company boss Brett Adcock. Former employees of Boston Dynamics and Tesla are also active at the company.

dpa