AI Safety Concerns: Engineer Files Lawsuit Over Robot Risks

A federal lawsuit has been filed by Robert Gruendel, a former safety engineer at Figure AI, against the company over serious safety concerns regarding the capabilities of its AI-powered robots. According to The New York Sun, Gruendel claims he was retaliated against for raising alarms about the potential dangers of the company's humanoid robots, which he asserts possess superhuman speed and the ability to inflict severe injuries on humans. Gruendel had been hired in 2024 to lead Figure AI's product safety program, tasked with developing a roadmap to identify safety standards and legal risks before the robots were brought to market.

In his lawsuit, Gruendel details a test he conducted with the company's robot, F.02, which reportedly moved at superhuman speed during an impact test, generating forces twenty times higher than the pain threshold. He estimated that the force was more than twice what would be necessary to fracture an adult human skull. Despite his warnings, including a specific incident where an employee narrowly avoided injury when an F.02 malfunctioned and punched a refrigerator, Gruendel's concerns were allegedly ignored by company executives, including CEO Brett Adcock and Chief Engineer Kyle Edelberg.

The lawsuit states that Gruendel's safety concerns were treated as obstacles rather than obligations. He claims that just four days after he raised concerns during a safety training meeting, he was unexpectedly fired, with the company citing a change in business direction as the reason. However, Gruendel's attorneys argue that the termination was retaliatory, pointing out that he had received praise from executives shortly before his dismissal. In response, Figure AI has denied the allegations, asserting that Gruendel was terminated for poor performance and that his claims are falsehoods that will be discredited in court.

This situation raises broader questions about the ethical implications of deploying AI technology in workplaces, reflecting a growing concern among engineers and safety advocates about the regulatory frameworks governing such innovations. As the technology evolves, the scrutiny surrounding AI safety is increasing, prompting discussions about the responsibilities of companies to ensure worker safety and the potential risks associated with advanced robotics. Gruendel’s case is emblematic of a critical moment in the industry, where the balance between innovation and safety is under intense examination. The outcome of this lawsuit could set significant precedents for how AI technologies are developed and implemented in the future.