U.S. humanoid robot maker Figure AI released a video on Sept. 30 showing several retired Figure 02 robots jumping into molten steel, in a farewell staged with “Terminator” star Arnold Schwarzenegger and intended to mark the company’s shift to newer models.
The company said the footage was not AI-generated. It trained the robots to jump, shipped them to Finland and placed them into molten metal.
In the video, multiple Figure 02 robots stand at the edge of a furnace, look into the molten steel, back away, run and leap in. Another robot is lowered by chain and raises a mechanical thumb before being submerged. Schwarzenegger, who starred in “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” took part and said: “Hasta la vista, Figure 02.”
Figure AI said Figure 02 had completed several company firsts, including deployment at a BMW factory, operation of its Helix system, household tasks and logistics work. But with more Figure 03 robots coming into service, maintaining Figure 02 was no longer necessary, it said.
Because the robots contain many custom actuators and proprietary hardware, dismantling each unit would require significant technician time and could delay development of Figure 04, the company said. Melting them was a more complete and efficient way to destroy the hardware and reduce the risk of proprietary technology leaking, it added.
The idea came from CEO Brett Adcock, who asked followers on X for suggestions on how to say goodbye to Figure 02. Schwarzenegger replied: “Melt it.” Figure AI followed the suggestion and invited him to participate.
Executing the farewell was difficult. Figure AI contacted foundries in the United States and Mexico, but they were unwilling to allow a humanoid robot with lithium-ion batteries into expensive melting equipment. It eventually sent the robots to a steel plant in Imatra, Finland, which uses a 75-ton electric arc furnace powered by three large graphite electrodes and normally melts scrap steel.
Before shipping the robots, Figure AI built large safety airbags at its San Jose headquarters and repeatedly practiced jumps from the second floor of an office building. It trained a new AI model in simulation, using stunt performer movements as a reference, so the robots could jump into a furnace at a steel plant they had never visited.
On site, heat and strong electromagnetic fields knocked out some cameras and other electronic equipment, but the AI control policy for the jump worked without interruption.
The metal from the melted robots was returned to the United States and made into limited-edition figurines. Small versions sold for $500 and larger versions for $1,900. The larger version sold out within hours.
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