Bezos, Nvidia join OpenAI in funding humanoid robot startup

Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, Nvidia and other big technology names are investing in startup Figure AI that develops human-like robots, Bloomberg News reported on Friday, citing people with knowledge of the situation.

Figure AI, also backed by ChatGPT-maker OpenAI and Microsoft , is raising about $675 million in a funding round that carries a pre-money valuation of about $2 billion, according to the report.

Bezos had committed $100 million through his firm Explore Investments LLC and Microsoft is investing $95 million, while Nvidia and an Amazon-affiliated fund are each providing $50 million, the report added.

Investments in artificial intelligence startups have sparked after the launch of OpenAI’s viral chatbot ChatGPT in November 2022, as investors sense an opportunity, betting on these startups that they might outpace bigger rivals.