California: Silicon Valley-based startup Figure AI has sparked fresh debate over the future of human employment after successfully demonstrating a humanoid robot working autonomously inside a warehouse for nearly eight hours without interruption. The robot was powered entirely by the company’s advanced Helix-02 AI system.
During the live demonstration streamed online, the humanoid robot was seen lifting delivery packages and placing them onto conveyor belts without any human assistance. According to Figure AI CEO Brett Adcock, the company had previously tested the system for only one hour continuously, but the latest trial pushed the robot to operate for a full work shift.
The company said the Helix-02 AI model enables the robot to make decisions independently and continue repetitive industrial tasks for long durations. Figure AI also demonstrated a multi-robot coordination system in which one robot can automatically request replacement support if its battery runs low or a technical issue arises.
Brett Adcock claimed that human workers typically process a package in around three seconds and their humanoid robots are now approaching similar efficiency levels. However, the livestream also exposed some limitations, with robots occasionally slowing down or pausing briefly during operations.
Despite the glitches, robotics experts believe the demonstration marks a major step towards long-duration autonomous labour in warehouses and factories. The development has once again reignited concerns over whether advanced AI-powered robots could eventually replace large sections of the human workforce in industrial sectors.