San Francisco startup Foundation plans to build up to 50,000 humanoid robots by 2027 for both industrial and military use.

 

San Francisco startup Foundation plans to build up to 50,000 humanoid robots by 2027 for both industrial and military use.

Its Phantom MK-1 humanoid robot is designed for work in factories, warehouses, and “first body in” high-risk scenarios such as reconnaissance, bomb disposal, and other dangerous tasks.

The robot is about 5 ft 9 in tall, weighs roughly 175–180 lb, and can carry a significant payload, although exact figures vary by source.

Foundation has raised its production goals. Earlier plans aimed for 10,000 robots by 2026. Now, the company says it hopes to deploy 40 robots this year, 10,000 in 2026, and 50,000 by 2027.

Foundation plans to lease its robots for about $100,000 a year, saying each one can do the work of several human shifts.

Foundation CEO Sankaet Pathak says the Phantom will not be fully autonomous. Like military drones, it will use a human-in-the-loop system: the robots handle movement, while humans make final decisions about lethal force.

The company says humanoid robots could make missions more precise and reduce civilian harm, but it’s unclear if they will lower casualties or increase conflict. Their fast timeline suggests armed robots could appear sooner than expected.

#Foundation #PhantomMK1 #HumanoidRobots