US robotics startup Figure AI livestreamed footage of humanoid robots sorting parcels at a logistics warehouse for more than 36 hours.
On Nov. 14 local time, Figure AI shared a YouTube livestream link on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, urging viewers to "watch humanoid robots performing 8-hour shifts with human-level work capabilities."
The video showed humanoid robots labeled "Gary," "Frank," "BOB" and "ROSE" repeatedly handling parcels at the logistics site.
The robots picked up parcels with both hands, flipped them so the shipping label faced down for the barcode reader, and placed them on a conveyor belt. For plastic-wrapped parcels, the robots even pressed the boxes once by hand to ensure the barcodes could be properly scanned. They were also seen retrieving parcels placed at a distance and realigning boxes that had been turned in the wrong direction.
The most striking feature was the shift system. After working for about 7 hours and 44 minutes and processing roughly 10,000 parcels, "Gary" stopped operating. Another robot, "Frank," immediately stepped into the work position and continued the same task. Gary, having stepped away from the job, walked over to a charger on its own and began recharging.
The performance was not flawless, however. When boxes overlapped or were misaligned, the robots paused briefly. At times, the robots appeared to enter what some called a "meltdown" state, halting their movements before resuming work after a reset process.
Reactions from online viewers were mixed. Some commented, "Human hands are still faster" and "The robot looks like it's having a meltdown." Others expressed concern, saying, "It feels like watching parcel-loading part-time jobs disappear," "At this rate, only one person might be left at logistics centers," and "My job could be gone in a few years."
According to Figure AI, the robots operate autonomously based on the artificial intelligence system "Helix-02." The company initially aimed for an 8-hour demonstration, but as the robots performed reliably, the livestream continued for more than 36 hours.
The robots are designed to recognize the barcode on a box, then determine its direction and posture before placing it in the appropriate position. Figure AI noted that humans take an average of about 3 seconds to perform the same task, explaining that the robots are approaching a similar work speed to humans.
The livestream is widely seen as a demonstration aimed at showing whether humanoid robots can perform long-hour labor in actual industrial settings.
After robotics expert Scott Walter remarked that "humanoid robots must be able to endure long working hours like humans to be truly useful," Figure AI Chief Executive Officer Brett Adcock reportedly pushed forward with the live on-site stream.
The specific commercialization timeline for Helix-02 has not yet been disclosed. Figure AI has so far attracted more than $1 billion in investment, with its corporate valuation estimated at around $39 billion.
