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Figure AI decommissioning of Figure 02 robots

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2026-10-04 10:38 UTC → 2026-10-05 04:00 UTC · added ~~removed~~

US-based robotics company Figure AI decommissioned its fleet of Figure 02 humanoid robots by melting them in an a 75-ton electric arc furnace in Imatra, Finland. The company chose this method to protect proprietary hardware and intellectual property, such as custom actuators, which would have been difficult to disassemble manually without delaying the development of the next-generation Figure 04 model and the expansion of the Figure 03 fleet. The decision to use a furnace followed rejections from foundries in the United States and Mexico, which cited risks posed by the robots’ integrated lithium-ion batteries. To execute the decommissioning, engineers used AI models to train the robots to jump autonomously from a second-story height into molten steel. This process involved installing air bags at the company’s San Jose campus during training to simulate the movements of professional stunt performers. Figure has stated that the footage of the robots entering the molten metal is authentic and not digitally generated. The method was inspired by a social media suggestion from actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who participated in the event to provide a cinematic send-off reminiscent of ‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’. The operation was completed within six melting cycles, and Figure intends to use the resulting metal to create commemorative items. While most of the Figure 02 fleet has been destroyed, a small number of units remain at the company's headquarters.

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