A restless chrome android is set to roll off BMW's production line.
German car companies have recently
signed a commercial contract It has partnered with California-based robot maker Figure to use its humanoid automatons in “automotive manufacturing environments.”
of
Figure 01 is a 5'6″ tall android that weighs 132.2 pounds and can run for five hours before needing a charge. According to the company, the humanoid can move at speeds of nearly 2.7 miles per hour. , can lift weights of up to 44 pounds.In addition to tripping and lifting boxes where humans once worked, androids can open doors, use tools, and climb stairs. It seems possible.
Robert Engelhorn, President and CEO of BMW Manufacturing, said:
Said “The automotive industry and the resulting vehicle production are rapidly evolving. As an industry leader and innovator, BMW Manufacturing is committed to integrating innovative technologies into our production systems in order to drive the future forward,” the statement said. ”
“Using a versatile robotics solution has the potential to make productivity more efficient, support growing consumer demands, and free up our teams to focus on the transformation at hand.” Engelhorn added.
“Single-purpose robots have saturated the commercial market for decades, but the potential of general-purpose robots remains largely untapped,” said Brett Adcock, CEO and founder of Figure. Companies can increase productivity, reduce costs, and create a safer, more consistent environment.”
Figure's agreement with BMW reportedly allows for a phased introduction. First, robotics companies look for “early use cases” in which they can deploy their androids. Once automation opportunities are identified, presumably in areas currently occupied by inspired human workers, the android figures will be phased out of the auto company's facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina. right.
Adcock
Said Axios, “I think we'll see humanoid robots in the real world within the next 24 months.”
The relative cost of this alternative labor force may be driven down by intense competition. After all, Figure and BMW's deal may be the first of its kind, but it's not the only Android game in town.
Vancouver-based company Sanctuary AI has developed a general-purpose robot called .
phoenix. Equipped with the Carbon AI control system, Phoenix offers a competitive payload of 55 pounds and a maximum speed of 3 mph.
Norway's OpenAI-backed 1X has already
eve android Available for purchase. EVE is 6'2″ tall, weighs 192 lbs, and has a top speed of 9 mph. It has a 6-hour run time, battery life that exceeds Figure 01, and can lift 33 lbs. It is autonomous, yet human-friendly. It has been reported that the operators of EVE can also take control of the vehicle and eavesdrop on EVE's cameras.
Ix acknowledges on its website that its androids can automate tasks traditionally performed by humans, suggesting that displaced workers “can be trained to take on more complex roles.” .
boston dynamics
atlas is another contender in this field, albeit headless. Atlas can move at 2.5 meters per second, weighs 196 pounds, and is approximately 5 feet tall. Unlike other androids, Atlas is relatively agile and can perform a variety of acrobatic feats.
Tesla's Optimus bot appears to be lagging behind many job killers. Despite this, South African billionaire Elon Musk recently suggested that Optimus can now fold his shirt.
market and market
report Last year, the global Android market was valued at $1.8 billion. However, it is projected to increase to $13.8 billion by 2028. This growth is expected to be primarily driven by demand in the healthcare and hospitality sectors. According to reports, there is also an opportunity to introduce androids in various areas of rescue operations.
The announcement of Figure's Android deal with BMW came just days before BMW's release.
MIT research This suggests that the threat of AI automation will soon take over many jobs from humans. report — This may be an exaggeration.
After looking at the cost breakdown of replacing various vision-based task workers with AI-powered systems, researchers concluded:Exposure', and it's only 23 [percent] The proportion of workers' wages paid for visual tasks is attractive to automate. ”
Neil Thompson, co-author of the study and researcher at MIT's Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, said:
I got it. He said the study shows that “AI is gradually being integrated into a variety of sectors, contrary to the often hypothesized rapid job loss due to AI.”
Adcock suggested to Axios that Figure 01 “can do basically everything a human can do.”
Figure's CEO isn't the only one taking a bullish stance on the outlook for the Tin Man workforce.
wall street journal
shown Earlier this month, it announced that expensive union contracts are driving interest in automation among automakers.
“Automation is the future. It's the future like never before,” Laurie Haber, president of Haber Results, a Michigan manufacturing consulting firm, told Barron's.
“There are robots in every factory,” United Auto Workers president Sean Fein recently told independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. “Companies have been using technology as a way to reduce jobs, rather than having robots and technology step in to make our jobs easier.”
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