On September 30, 2026, Figure AI released a video of its retired Figure 02 (F.02) humanoid robots jumping, on their own, into a 75-ton electric arc furnace of molten steel in Imatra, Finland. The Terminator 2-style send-off was Arnold Schwarzenegger's idea. Figure says the footage is real, not AI-generated, and that it melted the robots to protect its proprietary hardware while it moves to Figure 03 and Figure 04.
Key facts: Announced: September 30, 2026. Company: Figure AI, San Jose, California. Robots: most of the Figure 02 fleet; a few remain in storage. Place: a foundry in Imatra, Finland, with a 75-ton electric arc furnace. Time window: six melts of about 20 minutes each, within 24 hours. Idea: Arnold Schwarzenegger replied "melt them" on X. Leftover steel: cast into bars for limited commemorative items.
What did Figure AI do with its F.02 robots?
Figure trained its Figure 02 robots to jump into molten steel, shipped them to Finland and filmed them leaping into a furnace. Its official F.02 Decommission page says most of the fleet is now gone and only a few units remain at headquarters.
The robots jumped autonomously. Figure CEO Brett Adcock stressed on X that the company actually trained them to jump by themselves, as reported by Interesting Engineering. Figure has not said how many robots were melted.
Why did Figure melt its robots instead of selling them?
Figure gave three reasons:
- The fleet was obsolete. With the Figure 03 fleet growing, the company says maintaining F.02 no longer made sense.
- Taking them apart was too slow. Manual disassembly would have tied up engineers and delayed the Figure 04 launch.
- Protecting its technology. Selling or donating the robots risked exposing proprietary hardware, including custom-built actuators.
Melting is the most complete way to protect hardware secrets. Nothing is left to take apart. That matters more now that AI tools like REA can reverse engineer software in hours.
How was Arnold Schwarzenegger involved?
When Figure asked the internet what to do with the old robots, Schwarzenegger replied on X with a two-word answer, according to Figure: "melt them." It is a nod to the end of Terminator 2, where his character is lowered into molten steel.
Figure contacted him and, it says, he wanted to be involved. AI Frontier Post reports that he appears in the finished film. Tom's Hardware also highlighted that one robot held up a thumbs-up as it sank, echoing the film's famous final scene.
How did Figure train robots to jump into molten steel?
According to Figure's own account:
- Training site: Figure's San Jose campus, where robots jumped from a second-floor ledge onto large airbags.
- Movement references: stunt performers' jumps, used as examples for the robots to learn from.
- Simulation: a new AI model trained in simulation, so the robots could land precisely at a foundry they had never seen.
- The real thing: six melts in 24 hours, each with a window of about 20 minutes before the steel crusted over.
IEN reports that cameras and other electronics failed from the heat and electromagnetic fields, but the robots kept running their AI policies.
Why was the robot melting done in Finland?
Batteries. Each robot contains lithium-ion batteries, and Interesting Engineering reports that foundries in the US and Mexico refused the job. A foundry in Imatra, Finland, agreed to take the complete robots, batteries included.
The foundry uses a 75-ton electric arc furnace powered by three graphite electrodes, normally used to melt solid steel scrap.
Is the Figure AI molten steel video real?
Yes, according to Figure. The company says it really trained the robots, shipped them to Finland and filmed them jumping into the furnace, and that the footage is not AI-generated. IEN adds that no AI was used to create the video, which shows real backflips, swan dives and robots being lowered into the steel.
Independent observers have not verified each shot. But several outlets covered the event, and Figure has staked its credibility on the claim.
What happens to the melted steel?
The molten metal was cast into bars and shipped back to the US. Figure is machining it into a small, limited series of commemorative F.02 artifacts. The company has not published a price or a number.
What was the Figure 02 robot used for?
The F.02 was Figure's breakthrough model. According to Figure and Interesting Engineering, it:
- Worked at BMW's Spartanburg plant, loading more than 90,000 parts and helping build over 30,000 BMW X3s.
- Launched Helix, Figure's in-house AI model for robots.
- Ran Figure's first household chores and logistics deployments.
Its replacement, Figure 03, is now scaling, with Figure 04 next.
What do critics say about melting the robots?
Not everyone loved it. AI Frontier Post notes Reddit users who called scrapping working robots a waste, and others who objected to framing the melt as robots "dying."
Others see it as smart marketing. MindStudio's analysis argues the IP protection reason is genuine, but that Figure made a routine end-of-life process camera-ready.
What can marketers learn from Figure's robot send-off?
Figure turned a product retirement into one of the most talked-about tech videos of the year. That is rare. Most companies retire products quietly. There are five lessons:
- Every product moment is a story. Even end-of-life can launch the next product.
- Listen to your audience. The idea came from a public reply, and the audience felt part of it.
- Borrow a shared memory. Terminator 2 gave the clip instant meaning worldwide.
- Prove it is real. In a world of AI video, "this is not CGI" is a selling point.
- Extend the life of the moment. Commemorative artifacts keep the story going after the video.
This connects to a wider trend. Robots have become marketing stars, from Figure's furnace jump to the viral human vs robot cage fight in San Francisco.
How do viral moments shape what AI says about a brand?
Stunts like this end up in the answers AI assistants give. Ask ChatGPT or Gemini about Figure AI now, and the furnace video is likely part of the answer.
MarkGrid's Model Share tracks how ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude and Copilot describe and recommend your brand compared with competitors. Neuro-Marketing scores how creative is likely to grab attention before you launch it. Our GEO guide explains how to earn more positive mentions in AI answers.
FAQ
Why did Figure AI melt its robots?
Figure melted its retired Figure 02 robots to protect proprietary hardware, avoid slow manual disassembly, and free engineers to focus on Figure 03 and Figure 04.
Did the robots jump into molten steel by themselves?
Yes. Figure says it trained the robots to jump autonomously, using stunt performer references, airbag practice and an AI model trained in simulation.
Where were the Figure 02 robots melted?
At a foundry in Imatra, Finland, with a 75-ton electric arc furnace. US and Mexican foundries reportedly refused because of the lithium-ion batteries.
Was Arnold Schwarzenegger involved?
Yes. Schwarzenegger suggested melting the robots in a reply on X, and Figure says he wanted to be part of the project. Reports say he appears in the final film.
Is the Figure robot molten steel video AI-generated?
No. Figure says the footage is real and not AI-generated, and that the robots really jumped into the furnace.
How many robots did Figure melt?
Figure has not said. It says most of the F.02 fleet was melted and a few robots remain in storage at its headquarters.
Last updated October 19, 2026.
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Aditya Srivastava
Head of AI Visibility
Aditya Srivastava is Head of AI Visibility at MarkGrid, leading strategies that improve how brands are discovered, understood, and recommended across AI platforms. His work spans LLM visibility, brand intelligence, and AI search optimization.
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