Figure, a Bay Area robotics startup, is set to bring its humanoid robots into homes sooner than expected. CEO Brett Adcock confirmed on Thursday that the company will begin "alpha testing" its Figure 02 robot in home settings starting later in 2025. This accelerated timeline is attributed to the company's "generalist" Vision-Language-Action (VLA) model, called Helix.

Helix, announced last week, is designed to process both visual data and natural language input to accelerate the speed with which the system can pick up new tasks. This proprietary AI model marks a significant shift for Figure, which recently broke off its highly publicized partnership with OpenAI in favor of its own AI models like Helix.

The home has long been on Figure's roadmap, with the company showcasing early home testing in a lab setting during a recent visit to its South Bay offices. Last week's Helix announcement provided further insight into these plans, featuring videos of robots performing various household tasks, including food preparation. Notably, Helix is designed to orchestrate two robots working on a single task in tandem.

While many robotics firms, including competitors like Apptronik and Tesla, have expressed interest in bringing humanoid systems into the home, most have prioritized more lucrative industrial deployments. Factories and warehouses are seen as a logical first step for trials and deployment, offering a more structured and safer environment. Automakers like BMW, which is piloting Figure's humanoid systems at a plant in South Carolina, are willing to invest in testing these systems.

However, the home poses unique challenges, including varying layouts, uneven lighting, and the presence of pets and small humans. Norwegian startup 1X is one of the few companies that have prioritized the home, highlighting the difficulties of this approach. Pricing questions also remain a significant hurdle.

Figure's 2025 plans for home testing remain unclear, but the "alpha" designation suggests that home testing will remain in the early stages for the remainder of the year. Despite these challenges, the potential benefits of humanoid robots in the home are significant, particularly in addressing aging populations in countries like Japan and the U.S. These systems could provide critical assistance, enabling older people to continue living independently outside of care facilities.

As Figure pushes forward with its accelerated timeline, the industry will be watching closely to see how its Helix-powered humanoid robots fare in the home setting. With its proprietary AI model and renewed focus on the home, Figure is poised to make significant strides in this emerging market.