Meta Built Humanoid Prototype With Chinese Startup To Ramp Up Robotics Push

Meta Platforms has built a prototype humanoid with Chinese robotics company Fourier and is already working on a second version, as the social media giant steps up efforts to develop robots for people’s homes, according to people familiar with the initiative.

Meta and Fourier built the roughly 106-pound humanoid, known internally as Max, in just three months. The goal was to help Meta develop a more polished future product at its robotics arm that it could eventually release as a product, one of the people said, adding that no launch target had been set.

While it’s still a relatively early step, the prototype represents the most concrete progress in Meta’s robotics aspirations since it launched Meta Robotics Studio early last year and tapped the former chief executive of General Motors’ autonomous vehicle unit, Cruise, to run it. Meta has also focused on the software side of robotics, in May acquiring Assured Robot Intelligence, a startup that developed AI models for training robots to understand and adapt to human behavior in different environments.

Meta’s ambition to develop consumer robots that can help with housework and everyday tasks has taken on new urgency with the launch of the company’s consumer-focused AI agent, Muse. Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth has described humanoid robots internally as a physical embodiment of Muse, the knowledgeable people said.

Building Max required Meta’s team to travel to China to work closely with Fourier. Meta’s vice president of product for robotics, Li-Chen Miller, spent almost two months at Fourier’s factory in Shanghai to collaborate on the prototype, two of the people said. That trip culminated in an in-person demonstration of Max to some employees at the end of August as part of an internal robotics summit, those people said.

The partnership comes as the Trump administration has stepped up scrutiny of China’s robotics sector—which dominates global production—and raised questions about the national security implications of U.S. companies relying on Chinese firms for parts. In July, the Federal Communications Commission barred imports of new models of Chinese humanoid robots, citing potential supply chain and cybersecurity risks.

Under existing FCC import rules, companies can import up to 4,000 units of devices for testing or product development, provided they are not marketed or sold. That exemption allows U.S. companies including Meta to bring in prototypes from China for research and development purposes.

But in August the FCC proposed lowering that threshold to just 40 units for devices covered by its restrictions, unless companies obtain written approval from the agency to import more. The proposal could make it harder for Meta and other companies to bring batches of prototypes into the U.S. for testing and development, and difficult to obtain a steady supply of parts to build robots for sale.

A spokesperson for Meta said: “We face the same realities as the rest of the industry when it comes to sourcing components that are not readily available domestically. However, this effort with Fourier is focused on internal research and experimentation, and we have no plans to sell these units.”

Stiff Competition in Humanoid Robotics

If Meta does end up trying to sell humanoids to consumers, it would face stiff competition. Chinese companies are already producing such robots at scale, and Elon Musk is heavily betting the future of his electric vehicle company, Tesla, on its Optimus humanoid robot, now in its third version. In addition, prominent startups including Figure and 1X Technologies have been working on humanoids for years.

Despite the buzz surrounding humanoids, consumer adoption within homes is still in its early days. Figure has begun testing its robots in home environments, while 1X has started taking pre-orders for its NEO robots.

The Meta robotics division has recently undergone a leadership change. Meta tapped Ning Li to serve as interim leader of Meta Robotics Studio after Marc Whitten, the former Cruise CEO, left the company at the end of August, just 18 months after joining, according to two people familiar with the matter. Li reports to Bosworth, who has taken over Whitten’s former responsibilities and has been closely involved in Meta Robotics Studio, one person said. Bosworth has held regular meetings with the team and spent time digging into the division’s technical and operational challenges, the person said.

Max, which stands about 1.5 meters tall, or just under 5 feet, is currently powered by Nvidia’s Jetson Thor chip and a separate software platform that helps it move. It has two speakers built into its chest, and the eyes and mouth on its face can mimic human expressions. Its five-fingered hands can pick up small bottles and toys.

Meta built its custom robot using Fourier’s hardware and insights from the first, second and third generations of its series of robots. The companies then increased the prototype’s height, changed its proportions and altered its head design, display and cameras, while adding hands and shoes.

Meta also laid out specific requirements for how the robot should perceive and respond to people in a home environment. The two companies designed Max based on several requirements from Meta, including the ability to recognize a voice from 5 meters away, interpret a hand gesture or wave from 3 meters away, hold eye contact, and signal various states such as listening, thinking, speaking and uncertainty.

Meta and Fourier started building Max 2 in September. It will include a redesigned torso and reworked hands with better manipulation skills, as well as a projector to display visual content, the people said. It will also have additional sensors to help it go up and down stairs.

Meta is also building out the team it may need to eventually manufacture robots in large numbers. The company is looking to hire a supplier development engineer in Shanghai to work with product design and manufacturing and help scale robotics “from prototype through mass production,” according to a job posting viewed by The Information. Meta is also hiring a product design engineer and a technical program manager for Meta Robotics Studio in Shenzhen, China, to oversee prototype development, planning and mass production, according to two other job postings.