Picture: T. Schneider / shutterstock.com

A home robot that kindly hands you an apple—sounds harmless. But according to Robert Gruendel, former head of security at Figure AI, there is a deadly danger behind this cute gesture. The humanoid robots developed by the US start-up are said to be capable of smashing a human skull with a single blow. This finding is supported by tests conducted by Gruendel himself.

But instead of taking his warnings seriously, Figure AI reportedly fired him on the spot. The portal t3n reported on the background to this story. The accusation: he pointed out the risks that the company allegedly deliberately ignored—thereby endangering the public.

"No risk reporting system, no control"

In March 2024, a video from Figure AI goes viral: a humanoid robot appears to respond intelligently to spoken commands—and brings a human being something to eat. The clip goes viral, and security expert Gruendel becomes curious. Shortly thereafter, he joins Figure AI—as the new head of security.

But the euphoria quickly fades. In a lawsuit he has now filed with the Federal Court in California, he makes serious allegations: no reporting channels for incidents, no risk assessment, no real safety processes. Instead, employees with no experience in robotics are responsible for safety.

He raises his concerns with the company management—initially with success. The CEO and chief engineer approve his safety plans. But when Gruendel's concepts also impress investors, the company suddenly changes its mind.

From celebrated security chief to annoying warning voice

What appeared to be a PR success for Figure AI—solid security plans, interested investors—is quickly turning into an internal power struggle. The approved plan is being watered down, measures are being scrapped, and security aspects are apparently being ignored.

Particularly explosive: Gruendel reports an incident in the summer of 2025 in which a robot crashes into a refrigerator at full speed due to a malfunction—just missing a person. The impact causes a crack in the steel door. For Gruendel, this is proof that robots are not ready for everyday use.

The force of the arm is twice as high as necessary to break a human skull. These are no longer just teething problems—they are potentially life-threatening.

Startup denies allegations – court to decide

In September 2025, Gruendel is dismissed. Figure AI claims he was fired for "poor performance." The former head of security, however, sees himself as a whistleblower who was sidelined because of his warnings. His lawsuit is based on California whistleblower law, which protects whistleblowers when they draw attention to unsafe practices.

Now a jury court will decide. Gruendel's lawyer sums it up: The point is to highlight the obvious danger of a hasty market launch. If robots with such power are soon to be working in households, we had better be sure that they know where the apple ends—and humans begin.

And what does legaldata say about this?

This isn't a dispute about a broken coffee machine—it's a glimpse into our not-too-distant future. When robots have more power than we do and less control than we thought, it becomes dangerous. And when safety concerns are swept under the rug just to impress investors, it's not an isolated incident—it's a systemic failure. The fact that a man who warns about this is fired should give us all pause for thought.

Source: t3n.de