Brett Adcock, CEO of Figure AI, a humanoid robotics startup, recently addressed public skepticism about the company's progress with BMW during a Bloomberg Tech conference. Adcock explained the technical benefits of using robots on factory floors but didn't disclose specific details about the contractual relationship with the automaker.

Figure AI has faced scrutiny over its claims that its AI-powered robots possess human-like fine motor skills and can manipulate objects with precision. While the company has released numerous videos of its robots at work, it has yet to conduct a live demonstration of the humanoids. Adcock defended the company's decision not to showcase its robots at events, stating that it's a "giant waste of time" and that the team could be more productive at the office. He did, however, confirm that Figure AI plans to manufacture and deploy around 100,000 units within four years.

The skepticism surrounding Figure AI's commercial relationship comes as the company seeks to raise a $1.5 billion round at a $39.5 billion valuation, a fifteenfold increase from its $2.6 billion valuation in February 2024. In April, TechCrunch reported that Figure AI had issued cease-and-desist letters to secondary market brokers, demanding they stop marketing its shares without authorization.

Despite the controversy, Figure AI has reportedly signed a contract with a second, unnamed customer for initial deployment, which Bloomberg has identified as UPS. The company continues to work on refining its technology and expanding its customer base, aiming to revolutionize factory floors with its advanced humanoid robots.