Figure AI Robot Fleet Decommissioned Terminator-Style in 75-Ton Vat of Molten Steel

Figure Melts F.02 AI Robot Fleet After Schwarzenegger Suggestion

Figure, a U.S.-based humanoid robotics company, decommissioned its F.02 AI robot fleet in a dramatic Terminator-style disposal method after receiving an unexpected suggestion from Arnold Schwarzenegger himself1

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. Company CEO Brett Adcock turned to social media platform X asking for ideas for "a proper sendoff" for the aging robots, and the Terminator star responded with a simple directive: "You should melt them."1

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The company took this advice literally, launching an elaborate process to dispose of its proprietary technology disposal in a 75-ton electric arc furnace filled with molten steel.

Why Figure Chose This Unconventional Disposal Method

Maintaining the F.02 AI robot fleet no longer made economic sense as Figure's next-generation F.03 model increased in numbers1

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. However, the humanoid robotics company faced a unique challenge. Disassembling the older robots proved difficult and time-consuming, while handing them off to third parties risked exposing proprietary technology to competitors. Assigning an internal team to manually dismantle the fleet would pull valuable personnel away from developing the F.04 model currently in progress1

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. The vat of molten steel solution addressed both security concerns and resource allocation issues simultaneously.

Training AI Robots to Jump Into Molten Steel

The execution required significant technical preparation. Figure trained its F.02 robots to leap from the second story of its San Jose, California office building onto airbags as practice runs1

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. The team used motion capture from stunt performers as references to train a new AI model in simulation, ensuring the robots could jump accurately into the steel bucket at a foundry they had never visited2

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. This wasn't as simple as it sounds—jumping off a ledge into molten steel requires precision, with the company specifically referencing stunt artists for the movement mechanics1

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Finding a Foundry Willing to Accept Lithium Batteries

Locating a suitable facility proved challenging. None of the metal foundries contacted in the United States and Mexico would accept robots containing lithium batteries being dumped into their expensive equipment2

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. Figure even reached out to former MythBusters team members to help with the search. Eventually, the only foundry in the world willing to take on this unconventional project was located in Imatra, Finland2

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. The Finnish facility gave Figure a tight window: 24 hours and six melts to complete the entire decommissioning process1

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AI-Driven Robotics Perform Flawlessly Until Final Moments

Despite extreme conditions, the AI-driven robotics performed seamlessly. Three massive graphite electrodes powered the 75-ton electric arc furnace designed to melt solid steel scrap2

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. The F.02 robots functioned as intended up to their final moments, despite extreme heat generated by the molten steel and powerful electromagnetic interference from high-voltage electricity flowing through the electrodes1

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. Camera equipment and other electronics failed in this harsh environment, yet the robots' AI programs ran without issue2

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. In a cinematic moment echoing Terminator 2, one F.02 robot was filmed holding up a thumbs-up sign as it sank into the molten metal1

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From Scrap to Limited-Edition Memorabilia

The resulting metal bars were shipped back to the United States and machined into limited-edition memorabilia commemorating the F.021

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. Only a small number of these artifacts will be produced, preserving a piece of Figure's history in compact form2

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. Most of the F.02 fleet has already been melted down and recycled, with only a few units remaining in storage at the company's headquarters1

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. This approach freed up valuable space for newer robot models while ensuring Brett Adcock's company maintains complete control over its intellectual property. The decommissioning spectacle turned out to be a complete success, though the company jokingly hopes this doesn't lead to a Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines sequel scenario1

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