Figure CEO predicts big for humanoids, eVTOLs, memory AI in 2026

In a LinkedIn post, Brett Adcock, CEO of the US robotics company Figure, outlined several bold predictions for technological advancements expected in 2026. He foresees humanoid robots capable of autonomously performing multi-day tasks in unfamiliar homes, powered by neural networks that translate visual inputs directly into motor actions. In aviation, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft are predicted to achieve fully piloted operations meeting FAA safety standards, with urban validation missions signaling progress toward widespread air mobility. Additionally, AI is expected to evolve from text-based chatbots to multimodal voice agents with persistent memory, enabling more personalized, context-aware, and continuous interactions that resemble synthetic human intelligence. On the public safety front, Adcock anticipates the beta testing of 20-foot standoff weapon-detection systems in K–12 schools to address the rise in school shootings. Reactions to these predictions were mixed. Some expressed skepticism about the readiness of humanoid robots to perform complex, unsupervised