Helix: The Fully Autonomous, Hive-Minded VLA Humanoid Robot

Just weeks after Figure.ai ended its collaboration with OpenAI, the Silicon Valley startup introduced Helix—a commercial-ready, AI-powered “hive-mind” humanoid robot capable of performing nearly any task on command.

A New AI Brain for Figure 02

Figure gained attention with its humanoid robot, Figure 01. Now, Figure 02 features more than just upgrades—it has a new AI brain, Helix VLA. As the first generalist Vision-Language-Action (VLA) model in a humanoid robot, Helix perceives, understands language, interacts physically, and learns continuously.

In a demo, Helix-powered Figure 02 robots put away unfamiliar groceries by simply responding to, “Can you put these away?” Unlike most AI models requiring extensive training, Helix integrates semantic knowledge with its vision-language model (VLM) to interpret commands and act instantly.

For example, if asked to pick up a cassette tape, Helix combines general knowledge from LLMs like ChatGPT with its VLM to identify and retrieve it—though its taste in music remains a mystery.

Helix can also control two robots simultaneously. With dual GPUs, System 2 handles high-level planning at 7-9 Hz while System 1 executes actions at 200 Hz, enabling seamless teamwork and real-time responses.

A Breakthrough in Autonomous Robotics

Figure and OpenAI had been working together for about a year before Figure.ai founder Brett Adcock announced the company’s decision to go solo. In a post on X, he hinted at a major advancement: “Figure made a breakthrough on fully end-to-end robot AI, built entirely in-house. We’re excited to show you something no one has ever seen on a humanoid.” Just 16 days later, Helix was unveiled—an achievement that feels less like incremental progress and more like a giant leap.

Figure 01 robots have already performed repetitive tasks at BMW’s Spartanburg, SC, factory. But Figure 02 represents a new era of capability. These humanoids are not just factory-ready—they’re commercially viable right out of the box, with batteries included.

The Hive Mind Advantage

Unlike previous models, Helix doesn’t require individual training for each robot. Instead, all Figure 02 units share a single set of neural network weights. When one robot learns a task, the entire network learns it instantly—an approach reminiscent of a hive mind.

This feature makes Figure 02 especially suited for home environments, where unpredictability is the norm. Unlike the structured conditions of a factory, a household presents endless variables: misplaced laundry, scattered toys, cleaning supplies under the sink, and fragile china in a display case. Despite these complexities, Figure 02 can recognize and manipulate almost any small household object, even if it has never seen it before.

In a demo, the robot successfully identified and retrieved a toy cactus from a pile of random objects when given the abstract command, “Pick up the desert item.” This level of contextual understanding sets Helix apart from previous AI-powered robots.

A New Era of Robotics—With Real-World Implications

The Figure 02 humanoid, powered by Helix, is the closest thing to I, Robot we’ve seen. AI is no longer confined to screens—it now has a physical form, the ability to act autonomously, and the potential to impact the real world in unprecedented ways.

However, these advancements raise critical concerns. Who controls the vast amount of data these robots collect? Could they be hacked, turning them into tools for espionage or cyberattacks? With a hive-mind system, a single breach could expose personal and corporate secrets on an unimaginable scale.

In essence, Helix represents both an extraordinary technological breakthrough and a profound ethical dilemma. While the future of robotics looks more exciting than ever, one question remains: Are we ready for it?

Read Original Source: Figure.ai

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