Humans order, Atlas does. What was once considered a distant dream of having robots take care of everyday labor seems to be coming true as robots perform real-world jobs once reserved for humans. They may, though not yet, soon be even better than humans.
Leading the charge are Atlas, developed by Hyundai Motor Group’s Boston Dynamics and preparing for deployment on automobile factory production lines, and Figure 03, a humanoid robot created by U.S.-based robotics company Figure AI.
On Monday, Boston Dynamics released footage of Atlas moving a refrigerator, saying the robot is rapidly learning new motions through large-scale simulation-based reinforcement learning. It seems like a small step for humans, but it is a big step for robotkind.
“Over the span of just a few weeks, after Atlas’ public debut in January, we demonstrated unprecedented performance for a humanoid robot’s strength, mobility, and whole-body control,” the company said on its website.
Humanoid robot Atlas, made by Boston Dynamics, Hyundai Motor Group’s robotics subsidiary, lifts and moves a refrigerator weighing about 23 kilograms (51 pounds). [BOSTON DYNAMICS]
Researchers initially aimed for Atlas to “train and deploy new behaviors in as little as a day,” but the process turned out to be even faster than expected.
“The demo wasn’t quite that quick, but it was much faster than anticipated for Atlas to learn the fridge-moving task consistently,” the company said. Atlas had been trained to handle loads weighing between 50 and 70 pounds, but successfully moved a fully loaded refrigerator weighing more than 100 pounds.
Atlas is not the only robot stepping into human roles.
Figure 03, developed by U.S. robotics company Figure AI, has been sorting packages for more than five days — about 130 hours — without rest. The robot stands in front of a conveyor belt sorting a constant stream of parcels, separates packages wrapped in plastic and boxes, turns shipping labels downward and sends them one by one onto the conveyor belt.
Figure AI has been livestreaming Figure 03 sorting packages on YouTube since Thursday. The company said it plans to continue the livestream until the robot breaks down.
A scene from Charlie Chaplin’s film “Modern Times” (1936), left, and an image of Figure AI’s humanoid robot Figure 03 sorting parcels in front of a conveyor belt. [FIGURE AI/JOONGANG ILBO]
Potential workers
Humanoid robots are drawing global attention because of their potential to dramatically boost industrial productivity. In particular, the manufacturing and logistics industries, where Atlas and Figure 03 are expected to play major roles, have recently seen slowing growth due to aging populations and rising labor costs.
Industry experts expect humanoid robots to deliver long-term cost-saving effects if they are first deployed in workplaces involving dangerous tasks, physically demanding labor that strains the musculoskeletal system or jobs where securing skilled workers is difficult.
However, obstacles to commercialization are also becoming increasingly apparent. Figure AI’s livestream, for instance, was far from flawless. When boxes overlapped or were slightly misaligned, the robot stopped moving and only resumed work after a long pause.
The robot also displayed awkward behavior at times, suddenly freezing mid-task while retrieving an item and remaining motionless with its head lowered for an extended period.
Safety concerns and social acceptance also remain major challenges to overcome.
Unlike conventional industrial robots that operate only within controlled fenced areas, humanoid robots move and work alongside human workers in shared spaces. That means system errors or malfunctions could potentially lead to serious accidents.
An Atlas robot stands on the stage during a Hyundai and Boston Dynamics news conference ahead of the CES tech show on Jan. 5 in Las Vegas. [AP/YONHAP]
At the same time, concerns persist that robots could eventually replace human workers, fueling anxiety over job security. Nevertheless, the consensus is that it's likely impossible to reverse the industry's current direction of development.
“The biggest hurdle for physical AI is generalization — the ability to perform ordinary tasks across a wide range of situations — and this is meaningful because it actually demonstrated that capability,” said Choi Hyouk-ryeol, a mechanical engineering professor at Sungkyunkwan University. “There are still areas that need improvement, but this can be evaluated as a breakthrough for deployment at industrial sites.”
New paradigm shift
Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan also emphasized the shift in a social media post on Sunday.
“The world is now rapidly moving beyond industrial robots that perform simple repetitive tasks and into the era of AI-powered humanoid robots,” Kim said.
“Robots will become an important tool for filling labor shortages at manufacturing sites and maintaining industrial sustainability.”
Figure 02, a humanoid robot developed by U.S. robotics firm Figure, is seen working at a BMW factory. Using five-fingered hands, it picks up components and places them into position for assembly. [SCREEN CAPTURE]
He added that “if robots take over dangerous and undesirable tasks, manufacturing jobs could transform from positions nobody wants into smart jobs that younger generations seek out again.”
As the possibility of humanoid robots entering workplaces sooner than expected grows, major companies in Korea and abroad are also accelerating their efforts to lead the robotics race.
Atlas is scheduled to begin field training in the third quarter of this year at the Robotics and Metaplant Application Center. In effect, the robot will start working as an “intern” to gather the various data needed for factory production lines.
Industry observers say the groundwork has now been laid for so-called dark factories — fully automated plants operated around the clock solely by AI technology and robots without human workers.
Stills from a video uploaded to YouTube on May 5 by Boston Dynamics that show a development model of the humanoid robot Atlas performing a handstand and other advanced maneuvers. [SCREEN CAPTURE]
Atlas will first be deployed at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in 2028, before expanding to Kia’s Georgia plant and other facilities in 2029.
“During the first one to two years, we plan to deploy the robots extensively at U.S. plants to accumulate data and ensure safety,” Kia CEO Song Ho-sung recently told overseas investors. “We will first deploy the robots in difficult and physically demanding parts of the assembly process.”
The robot is also expected to eventually take over repetitive assembly tasks involving heavy parts such as doors, transmissions, chassis and tires.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
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