Brett Adcock - Shawn Ryan’s First Interview with a Robot | SRS #292
Brett Adcock, CEO of Figure AI, discusses his journey from farming to building humanoid robots, flying cars, and AI security systems. He demonstrates Figure 3, his latest 130-pound humanoid robot that uses neural networks for complex tasks, and explains how he believes robots will become ubiquitous in homes within the next decade.
Summary
Brett Adcock, founder of multiple companies including Figure AI, Archer Aviation, and Cover, shares his remarkable transformation from a third-generation farmer in small-town Illinois to one of the most influential AI entrepreneurs. Starting with Vetery, an AI recruiting marketplace sold for $110 million, Adcock moved into deep tech with Archer Aviation, developing electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. His current focus is Figure AI, where he's created humanoid robots that use neural networks exclusively - no traditional code - to perform complex human-like tasks.
The interview features a live demonstration of Figure 3, a 130-pound, 5'6" humanoid robot with 40 degrees of freedom that can fold laundry, wash dishes, and work manufacturing shifts. The robot operates through a sophisticated neural network called Helix, processing sensor data at 200+ times per second for balance and movement. Adcock explains how his robots have already worked six-month shifts at BMW manufacturing plants and are being deployed to commercial customers.
Adcock also discusses Cover, his school security company using NASA JPL terahertz imaging technology to detect concealed weapons in schools without physical searches. The system can identify guns through clothing and backpacks from 10-30 meters away. Additionally, he reveals Hark, his new AI lab developing what he believes will replace the iPhone with AI-native devices that know users intimately and can perform complex tasks autonomously.
Throughout the conversation, Adcock emphasizes his belief that humanoid robots will become as common as phones within a decade, fundamentally transforming how humans work and live. He envisions a future where robots handle all mundane tasks, freeing humans for more meaningful activities. Despite acknowledging safety concerns and the potential for malfunction, he argues the benefits far outweigh the risks, comparing the technology to other transformative innovations like cars and airplanes.
Key Insights
- Adcock argues that humanoid robots cannot be programmed with traditional code because they have more possible body positions than atoms in the universe, requiring neural networks for all movement and decision-making
- Figure robots have successfully worked 10-hour manufacturing shifts every day for six months at BMW, demonstrating real-world commercial viability of humanoid robotics
- Adcock believes every human will have a humanoid robot within their lifetime, comparing it to the ubiquity of phones and cars, fundamentally changing how society operates
- Adcock fired OpenAI from his Series B after a year of collaboration, claiming his internal team outperformed them and that OpenAI was learning his robotics techniques to build competing products
- The Cover security system uses terahertz radar technology developed for Iraq and Afghanistan wars to detect concealed weapons in schools from 10-30 meters away, potentially preventing the estimated tens of thousands of guns brought into schools annually
Topics
Transcript
[0:05] Brett Eggcock, welcome to the show. >> Thanks for having me on. >> I've been looking forward to this for a long time. The robotics guy. >> Yeah. >> Let me give you an intro here real quick before we get before we get started. Brett Adcock, a serial entrepreneur and founder and CEO of Figure AI, building generalpurpose humanoid robots for labor automation. founded Vetery and AIdriven talent marketplace which was acquired for approximately a hund00 million co-founder of Archer Aviation developing [0:37] electric vertical takeoff and landing EV to aircraft found cover in AI security company using NASA jet propulsion laboratory technology to to detect concealed weapons in K through2 schools. That's amazing. In late 2025, you…
Full transcript available for MurmurCast members
Sign Up to AccessMore from Shawn Ryan Show
He Hands Uber Drivers His Leg 😂
A person with one leg shares humorous observations about the social advantages of their disability, including using it as a conversation starter in bars and as a novelty prop during Uber rides.
Wynonna Judd's Husband Heard a Voice Telling Him to Die 😨
Wynonna Judd's husband describes a harrowing near-death experience where he heard a voice urging him to jump into a waterfall and surrender to death. He distinguishes between what he perceived as a divine struggle to survive and a demonic voice trying to convince him to let go, a battle that lasted through the night until morning.
Shawn Ryan Gives a Country Legend a SIG Rattler 300 Blackout 😳
Shawn Ryan presents a SIG Sauer Rattler in 300 Blackout to a country legend, explaining its specifications and comparing it to similar weapons that will be equipped by the sheriff's office where someone named Elijah works. The recipient expresses initial fear of the weapon but shows willingness to overcome that fear by shooting it.
The Hardest Goodbye Wynonna Judd Ever Had To Say 😔
Wynonna Judd recalls the devastating day she received news of her mother's death on April 30th. After being urgently summoned to her mother's house by their life coach, she arrived to find emergency services present and learned of the death from a hospital staff member who didn't realize she hadn't been informed yet.
Shawn Ryan Gives a Country Legend a SIG Rattler 300 Blackout 😳
Shawn Ryan presents a SIG Sauer Adler 300 Blackout rifle to a country music legend, explaining its features and comparing it to equipment being procured for a sheriff's department. The recipient expresses initial fear of firearms but shows willingness to overcome that hesitation.