Figure Ends Partnership With OpenAI, Builds In House AI
Figure CEO Brett Adcock said on March 31, 2026 that the company's partnership with OpenAI, which co-led its Series B in 2024, ended after less than a year because the collaboration delivered "very little" technical value. Adcock said Figure will develop AI in-house after OpenAI signaled it would pursue humanoid robotics internally, including a lab with about 100 data collectors.
Key Points
- 1Ends collaboration: Figure leaves OpenAI partnership after under a year, citing minimal technical contribution.
- 2Explains divergence: Adcock says robotics requires different techniques and OpenAI chose to build humanoids internally.
- 3Signals recruiting and competitive risks: the deal complicated hiring and created direct competition over robot models.
Scoring Rationale
Timely, first‑hand CEO disclosure about a notable partnership split gives moderate novelty and sector relevance. Scored down slightly for single-source reporting and limited technical detail despite clear implications for recruiting and competition.
Sources
Public references used for this report.
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