Foundation Future Industries builds humanoid robot soldiers in the US amid global opposition

Foundation Future Industries, a San‑Francisco start‑up founded in 2024 and valued at over $1 billion, is developing humanoid robots for factory work, megacity construction and, most controversially, future battlefields. Co‑founder Sankaet Pathak argues the machines could make warfare more precise, cut civilian casualties and protect soldiers, saying, “I really don’t understand why that doesn’t make sense to people.”

The United Nations Secretary‑General António Guterres and the Catholic Church have called for an international ban on autonomous “killer robots.” The company notes that rivals such as China and Russia are also pursuing military humanoids and armed robot “dogs,” prompting Foundation to claim it is the only U.S. and European firm explicitly building such defence robots. Pathak stresses that defence work represents only a “small portion” of the firm’s broader activities.

The project has sparked fierce opposition from human‑rights groups and raises questions about the future of autonomous weapons and international regulation.