WTF?! Does the increasing pace of humanoid robot and AI advancement concern you? Here's a story that could exacerbate those concerns. Figure AI, the startup backed by the likes of Nvidia and Jeff Bezos, is being sued by its former head of product safety who claims he was released from his role after warning executives about the robots' safety risks. He even claimed the machines were powerful enough to fracture a human skull.
The case has been filed in the Northern District of California by Robert Gruendel, a principal robotic safety engineer. He alleges that he was dismissed from Figure AI in September after lodging safety complaints about the company's humanoid robots.
Gruendel's lawyers, who describe him as a "whistleblower," say he warned CEO Brett Adcock and chief engineer Kyle Edelberg about the robots' skull-crushing lethal capabilities. He said that one had already carved a quarter-inch gash into a steel refrigerator door during a malfunction.
Gruendel says he had been asked to prepare a safety roadmap for a presentation to two prospective investors, but had warned executives not to "downgrade" his work.
The safety engineer claims that the plan he presented was "gutted" in the same month that Figure AI closed a big investment round – a move he believes could have mislead backers and be interpreted as fraudulent.
Gruendel says his warnings were treated as inconveniences and obstacles, rather than obligations, and that his termination was blamed on a "vague" change in business direction.
Gruendel is seeking economic, compensatory, and punitive damages, according to CNBC. He is also demanding a jury trial.
Figure AI says that Gruendel's termination was due to his poor performance, adding that his allegations are falsehoods that the company will discredit in court.
"This case involves important and emerging issues, and may be among the first whistleblower cases related to the safety of humanoid robots," Robert Ottinger, Gruendel's attorney, told CNBC. "Mr. Gruendel looks forward to the judicial process exposing the clear danger this rush to market approach presents to the public."
In February 2024, Figure AI's plan to develop human-like robots powered by artificial intelligence convinced backers to invest $675 million. Amazon, Nvidia, Microsoft, Intel's venture capital division, and Bezos-owned Explore Investments were some of the big investors. The company forecasts more than 200,000 of its robots deployed across factories and homes by 2029, generating $9 billion in revenue.
Humanoid robots being able to crush skulls certainly isn't a reassuring thought. Russia's first AI robot couldn't even waddled ten feet without falling over, though the country did unveil another model last week that performed a dance for an unimpressed-looking Vladimir Putin.
AI robots with the power to crush skulls? "Whistleblower" lawsuit sounds alarm on Figure AI
