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Figure Status Update - OpenAI Speech-to-Speech Reasoning

FigureCited 8× on HN, 2024–2025
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demo · general · 2024–2025 on HN

A short status-update demo from Figure showing its humanoid robot using OpenAI-powered speech-to-speech reasoning to converse and perform tasks.

Mostly cited as an example of the state of LLM-controlled robots, with some skepticism that it is a polished demo video.

8 comments from Hacker News

@ben_w2025-01 · in “Emerging reasoning with reinforcement learning”

> For starters, human minds do more than just language. These days, so do the AI (even though these ones are still called LLMs, which I think is now a bad name even though I continue to use the term without always being mindful of this). > I've yet to see an humanoid robot controlled by an LLM that can tackle difficult physical problems like riding a bike or skiing in for the first time real-time, just as humans, that need to coordinate at least 5 senses (some say up to 20 but I digress) plus emotions and a train of thought to do so. 1) I'd agree that AI are slow learners (as measured by number of examples rather than wall clock). For me, this is more significant than the difference in wattage. 2) 13 years ago, before the Transformer model: link 3) We don't use 5 senses to ride a bike; I can believe touch, vision, proprioception, and balance are all involved, but that's only 4. Why would hearing, smell, or taste be involved? For emotion, my weakly-held belief is that this is what motivates us and tells us what the concept of "good" even is — i.e. it doesn't give us reasoning beyond being a motivation to learn to reason. > It is surprising that LLMs are so capable, but for 2000kcal a day humans are still more impressive to me. Our biological energy efficiency sure is nice, though progress with silicon is continuing even if the rate of improvement is decreasing: link That said, I don't consider the substrate efficiency to be an indication of if the thing running on it is or

@fragmede2024-12 · in “GPT-5 is behind schedule”

link specifically their speech demo video (which is, of course, a demo video) ▶ this video link and link are undoubtedly using such models. It's an area of active research, eg link link link link

@xvector2024-10 · in “OpenAI completes deal that values company at $157B”

> Let’s say you gave o1 an API to control a good robot. Could it throw a football? Maybe. > Could it accomplish even the most basic tasks? Definitely: ▶ this video

@meindnoch2024-10 · in “Boston Dynamics robot Atlas goes hands on [video]”

See, this is a real video. Compare it with the obvious cgi fake that was put out a few months ago by Figure: ▶ this video I still can't believe how noone has called them out on that one.

Critical View on HN
@ben_w2024-07 · in “Another AI company wrote us and here’s our response”

> The other isn't even being worked on in any serious fashion. It is being worked on, it's just hard: link ▶ this video I'm expecting a minimum of 5-10 years to pass between real-time vision AI getting good enough for level-5 autonomous cars and the same stuff fitting into the power envelope available to this kind of domestic robot.