OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, has announced a groundbreaking partnership with robotics startup Figure to integrate its artificial intelligence systems into humanoid robots. Figure, based in Sunnyvale, California, secured $675 million in venture capital funding from tech industry heavyweights including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Microsoft. The startup, less than two years old, aims to distribute billions of human-like robots to workplaces and homes, with CEO Brett Adcock stating that the robots could fill in for tasks that humans are unwilling to do.

For OpenAI, known for its AI language models like GPT and image-generating technology like DALL-E, this partnership represents a shift back into robotics research. Peter Welinder, OpenAI's vice president of product and partnerships, expressed excitement about the potential for robots to assist in everyday tasks. The collaboration will involve developing specialized AI models for Figure's humanoid robots, leveraging OpenAI's existing technologies.

Figure had previously announced an agreement with BMW to deploy its robots at a car plant in South Carolina, although the specifics of their role were still being determined. While some robotics experts question the practicality of humanoid robots in industrial settings, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman indicated a renewed focus on robotics hardware platforms after temporarily halting the company's own research in the past.

The financial terms of the partnership between Figure and OpenAI were not disclosed, but the collaboration is expected to accelerate Figure's commercial timeline by enabling its robots to process and reason from language. With influential backers and cutting-edge AI technology, Figure's vision of widespread humanoid robot adoption may soon become a reality.