Big tech companies bet big on humanoid robots: Bezos, NVIDIA, Microsoft join $675 million AI funding round

Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, Nvidia and other major technology companies are investing in Figure AI, a startup developing human-like robots, Bloomberg News said Friday, with knowledge of the matter. This was reported based on a person involved.

Figure AI, which is also backed by ChatGPT maker OpenAI and Microsoft, has raised about $675 million in a funding round, giving it a pre-funding valuation of about $2 billion, according to the report.

Bezos has pledged $100 million through his company Explore Investments LLC, Microsoft has invested $95 million, and Nvidia and Amazon-related funds are each providing $50 million, the report added.

Investments in artificial intelligence startups have been active since the launch of OpenAI’s viral chatbot ChatGPT in November 2022, and investors sense an opportunity and believe these startups may outperform their larger rivals. I’m betting.

OpenAI, which at one time considered acquiring Figure, is investing $5 million, the report added.

Backers include Intel’s venture capital arm, LG Innotek, Samsung’s investment group, as well as venture firms Parkway Venture Capital and Align Ventures, the report added.

ARK Venture Fund, Aliya Capital Partners and Tamarack are also listed as investors in the startup, according to the report.

Amazon, Nvidia, Microsoft and Intel declined to comment, while other companies mentioned in the report, including Figure AI, did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.

Last year, Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Figure, Inc., which develops general-purpose humanoid robots that can work in a variety of environments and handle tasks ranging from warehouses to retail stores, announced its first external round to Parkway Ventures. It has raised $70 million from investors led by Capital.