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    First lady Melania Trump hosted a Figure AI humanoid robot at the White House in an unprecedented visit

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    The appearance marks the first known humanoid robot guest at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

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    Figure AI has raised over $750 million from backers including OpenAI, Nvidia, and Microsoft

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    The White House event gives the startup massive visibility as it races to commercialize general-purpose humanoid robots

The White House just made robotics history. First lady Melania Trump hosted a humanoid robot from Figure AI in what appears to be the first time a commercially developed autonomous robot has visited 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The appearance signals growing White House interest in AI-powered robotics and gives the well-funded startup a cultural moment that money can’t buy.

The East Wing of the White House became an unlikely showcase for cutting-edge robotics this week when first lady Melania Trump appeared alongside one of Figure AI’s humanoid robots, according to CNBC. The visit represents a significant cultural milestone for both the robotics industry and the Sunnyvale-based startup competing to bring general-purpose humanoid robots to market.

While details of the meeting remain limited, the mere fact that a commercially developed autonomous robot received what amounts to a state reception underscores how quickly AI-powered robotics has moved from science fiction to serious policy consideration. It’s the kind of visibility that no PR budget could manufacture and puts Figure squarely in the spotlight as the humanoid robotics race intensifies.

Figure AI has emerged as one of the most well-funded players in the humanoid robotics space since its founding in 2022. The company pulled in a massive $675 million Series B round in February 2024 at a $2.6 billion valuation, with backing from an all-star roster including OpenAI, Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon, and Jeff Bezos personally. That capital has funded aggressive development of Figure 02, the company’s second-generation humanoid platform designed for commercial deployment in warehouses, manufacturing facilities, and eventually retail environments.

The White House appearance comes as Figure races against rivals like Tesla’s Optimus robot, Boston Dynamics, and a growing field of well-funded startups all chasing the same prize: a general-purpose humanoid that can work alongside humans in unstructured environments. Figure CEO Brett Adcock, who previously founded aircraft startup Archer Aviation, has been vocal about his timeline to get robots into commercial operation by 2025-2026.