The robotics company hosted by Melania Trump

Key Points:

• The White House hosted its first humanoid robot guest, Figure 3 from robotics startup Figure AI, during the Fostering the Future Together Global Coalition Summit, with First Lady Melania Trump promoting AI in children's education.
• Figure AI, founded in 2022 by billionaire Brett Adcock, raised over $1 billion in a Series C funding round valuing the company at $39 billion, with backing from Nvidia, Intel Capital, Qualcomm Ventures, and Salesforce.
• The company's robots, powered by its Helix AI system, are designed for various applications including education, commercial, and household tasks, and have been deployed in BMW manufacturing for handling sheet metal parts.
• Figure AI is involved in an ongoing lawsuit filed by its former head of product safety alleging wrongful termination after raising concerns about the robots' safety, including their ability to cause serious injury; the company denies the allegations and has countersued.
• Brett Adcock previously co-founded Archer Aviation, a drone company that benefited from a Trump administration executive order promoting electric air taxis, highlighting Adcock's recurring involvement in tech ventures aligned with U.S. national priorities.