The AI-Robot Revolution: Are We Ready for the “New Normal”?

Robotics has leaped forward, fueled by advances in AI in these past years. Companies like Figure AI are at the forefront, promising humanoid robots capable of not only complex tasks but also natural conversation. Their Figure 01 robot, unveiled in a recent demo, has sparked excitement, fear, and urgent questions about the societal impact of this technology.

The Promise: Goodbye to Drudgery?

The vision is compelling: Imagine a robot getting you food, doing dishes, and responding to your natural voice commands. Figure AI claims their bot isn’t remote-controlled but uses AI models (in partnership with OpenAI) to understand instructions, process visual input, and respond accordingly. The aim? To address the global labor shortage and free humans from tedious tasks.

Is This the End of Human Jobs?

This claim raises serious concerns. While proponents frame this as augmenting human work, it’s clear that some jobs, as we know them, might become obsolete. Consider Amazon’s investment in warehouse robots like Digit; they are explicitly designed to displace human workers. This isn’t a distant worry; Goldman Sachs estimates over 300 million jobs are at risk of being lost or altered due to AI and robotic advancements.

Beyond the Hype: Key Questions and Concerns

The Figure 01 demo is impressive, but there’s a need for critical analysis:

• Latency: There’s a noticeable delay between voice command and action — a significant hurdle for real-world, time-sensitive use cases.
• Hype vs. Reality: While early prototypes are promising, we need to separate marketing promises from current capabilities.
• The Ethics of AI Errors: Unlike AI image generators, robotic actions can cause real-world damage. How do we address AI decision-making errors that could lead to injuries or significant losses?

It’s Not Just Figure: AI Robotics is Here to Stay

Figure AI isn’t alone. Companies like Boston Dynamics (Atlas), Tesla (Optimus), and Agility Robotics are all creating advanced robots. Nvidia’s Project Groot underscores this, developing foundational models for humanoid robot movement and understanding. This field is exploding with both technological breakthroughs and potential pitfalls.

The Future: What Does it Hold?

It’s a watershed moment, raising profound questions about the very nature of work and society:

• Job Displacement: How do we prepare for large-scale job losses? What about reskilling and social safety nets?
• Robot Rights?: If robots become truly autonomous and capable of feeling, do we need new legal frameworks?
• Control: Who has ultimate control over these robots, and how do we ensure they’re used responsibly?

The Choice is Ours

The AI-powered robotics revolution is upon us. It’s both thrilling and terrifying. The choices we make now — investing in retraining, developing ethical AI guidelines, and having open societal debates — will decide whether the coming decades become a dystopian nightmare or usher in a future where humans are truly freed from mundane tasks. Let’s embrace the possibilities, but also demand responsible progress that benefits all of humanity.

I am not here to discuss more about what can be done to avoid, I am here to discuss what our future holds. Let’s discuss.