Revelations 13:14 “…by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth…”
Important Takeaways:
- Human-shaped robots with dexterous hands will be staffing warehouses and retail stores, tending to the elderly and performing household chores within a decade or so, according to a Silicon Valley startup working toward that vision.
- Why it matters: Demographic trends — such as a persistent labor shortage and the growing elder care crisis — make fully-functioning, AI-driven humanoid robots look tantalizingly appealing.
- Companies such as Amazon are reportedly worried about running out of warehouse workers, whose jobs are physically and mentally demanding with high attrition.
- Driving the news: A heavy-hitting startup called Figure, which just emerged from stealth mode, is building a prototype of a humanoid robot that the company says will eventually be able to walk, climb stairs, open doors, use tools and lift boxes — perhaps even make dinner.
- The company is the brainchild of Brett Adcock, a tech entrepreneur who previously founded Archer Aviation (a “flying taxi” maker that went public) and Vettery (an online hiring marketplace that he and a partner sold for $100 million).
- Where it stands: The prototype — called Figure 01 — stands about 5’6″ and weighs 130 pounds.
- It’ll be fully electric, run for five hours on a charge and is intended for warehouse use.
- Zoom in: Goldman Sachs put out an initial research report on the humanoid robot sector in November, estimating that “a $6 billion market (or more) in people-sized-and-shaped robots is achievable in the next 10 to 15 years.”
- This market “would be able to fill 4% of the projected U.S. manufacturing labor shortage by 2030…
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