Figure AI Intern Outperforms Humanoid Robot in Package-Sorting Contest

Figure AI conducted a 10-hour package-sorting contest between an intern and one of its humanoid robots at its San Jose headquarters. The intern, Aimé Gérard, sorted 12,924 packages, finishing 192 packages ahead of the robot. 83-second average.

The contest took place over the weekend after Figure AI had been livestreaming its robots sorting packages for nearly a week. Gérard stepped away for a bathroom break around the five-hour mark, allowing the robot to briefly lead before he returned and regained the advantage. Under California labor law, Gérard was entitled to meal and paid rest breaks.

AI's robots have accumulated more than 120 hours of package-sorting time on the livestream. The company began the livestream last Wednesday with the goal of demonstrating continuous operation, including potential 24-hour shifts. The feed has drawn millions of cumulative views on X, and viewers have named some of the robots Bob, Frank, and Gary.

" Roboticist Ayanna Howard, dean of Ohio State University's College of Engineering, said the robots' ability to operate for long periods without failure was impressive, though accuracy issues remain. "We're a long way away from a fully autonomous humanoid in a logistics center," Howard said.