California-based robotics firm Figure AI has announced plans to manufacture 100,000 humanoid robots over the next four years, leveraging AI technology and partnerships with BMW, OpenAI, and Microsoft.

In a LinkedIn post, Figure AI CEO Brett Adcock outlined the company’s strategy, focusing on a few major clients rather than broad market expansion. “Early on, it’s more efficient for us to grow vertically within a few clients than to spread out across many,” Adcock stated.

One of the company’s two major clients is BMW, marking the first time the German automaker has integrated humanoid robots into its production line. Trials using the ‘Figure 02’ robot have taken place in real-world manufacturing conditions, with robots successfully handling sheet metal parts in the car body assembly process, according to BMW.

“Through early test operations, we are determining possible applications for humanoid robots in production,” said Milan Nedeljković, BMW AG Board Member for Production.

Figure AI’s second major client remains undisclosed but is described as “one of the biggest US companies”, with potential for high-volume deployments.

The company’s Figure 01 and Figure 02 robots are designed for commercial and industrial use, with advancements in speed and dexterity. The Figure 02 model moves at 1.2 meters per second, close to human walking speed. The next-generation Figure 03 is already in development.

Figure AI enters a competitive market alongside Tesla, Agility Robotics, and Unitree as China emerges as a global leader in humanoid robotics. According to Forbes, eight of the world’s top 16 robotics firms are based there.