OpenAI-backed robot startup ‘1X’ deploys AI-based humaoids in real life

OpenAI-backed robot startup company ‘1X’ has successfully deployed AI-based robots in real life which is capable of performing nursing and bartending tasks while using their human-like arms. These robots are currently operating in the United States and some parts of Europe.
 
Brent Bornich, the CEO and founder of 1X states that their humanoid robot has been active since April this year and has surpassed their initial expectations. This remarkable humanoid represents a significant milestone in human history, as it is the first instance where a fully humanoid robot has been effectively incorporated into a professional setting, surpassing the much-anticipated Tesla robot championed by Elon Musk.

A real-life Robocop, powered by AI

At present, this robot has been implemented as security personnel at two industrial sites, setting itself apart from others with distinctive features, including a head, a face, and two autonomously moving arms. The patrolling humanoid is currently under human supervision. Brent Bornich is quite optimistic that these humanoids can soon be employed as caretakers for the elderly.

Lot’s of great hype about the large multimodal models right now. But how do we get to trillions of tokens for embodied actions? My bet is VR-Teleoperation and shared autonomy. pic.twitter.com/RyWCvDw7Mg

— Bernt Bornich (@BerntBornich) March 21, 2023

Bornich has a bold and ambitious vision to tackle labour scarcity by harnessing a vast amount of data. With an optimistic outlook, Bornich anticipates the realization of this vision within the next five years, or at the very least, within this decade, assuming no significant obstacle arises. The future is brimming with anticipation and potential for these remarkable advancements.

Generative AI plays a key role

The company constructs robots from scratch, integrating their own advanced motor technologies, tendons, muscle-like drive trains, Sensor software, and AI capabilities.

Through an investment round led by the Open AI startup Fund, 1X robots secured $23.5 million in funding, along with early access to Open AI technology.
 
Bornich disclosed they are also actively developing language models that enable the robot to comprehend and execute commands. This aspect of their work focuses on embodied AI, where the robot understands and performs real-world tasks based on instructions. Bornich describes this capability as remarkably impressive and almost magical in nature.