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Allen Zhu, a high-profile Chinese venture capitalist with GSR Ventures, has expressed skepticism about the near-term commercial viability of humanoid robots. He reportedly questions their cost-effectiveness compared to specialized automation and highlights the lack of a 'killer app,' suggesting mass adoption may be over a decade away.

Figure AI showcased its humanoid robots performing material handling tasks within BMW's live production facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina. This marks a move from controlled tests to real-world automotive manufacturing operations for the Figure 01 robot.

The landscape of humanoid robotics is undergoing rapid change, propelled by advancements in reinforcement learning (RL). A groundbreaking end-to-end neural network developed by Figure is setting new standards in humanoid locomotion, utilizing RL to achieve human-like walking in their Figure 02 robot. This innovation promises significant strides, yet it also raises important questions about the scalability and robustness of these technologies.