Foundation’s plan to deploy up to 50,000 defense-capable humanoid robots by 2027 suggests that machines—not humans—may soon take the lead in the world’s most dangerous work, with profound implications for warfare, ethics and global security. (Source: Image by RR)

Foundation Outlines Ambitious Plan to Deploy Tens of Thousands of Humanoid Robots

Foundation, a San Francisco–based robotics startup, has outlined plans to manufacture and deploy as many as 50,000 humanoid robots by the end of 2027, marking one of the most ambitious humanoid robotics efforts to date. The company’s Phantom MK-1 robot is designed for both industrial labor and combat-adjacent military roles, placing Foundation among a small group of firms openly targeting defense applications alongside commercial markets. If achieved, the scale alone would dramatically accelerate the real-world presence of humanoid robots.

The Phantom MK-1 stands roughly 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs between 175 and 180 pounds, with capabilities tailored for high-risk missions such as reconnaissance, bomb disposal, and hazardous ground operations. Foundation CEO Sankaet Pathak, as noted in interestingengineering.com, has described humanoid robots as the ideal “first body in” during dangerous missions, potentially allowing robots—not humans—to enter hostile or lethal environments first. In military contexts, this could include scenarios involving armed engagement, while keeping soldiers physically removed from immediate danger.

Foundation’s production targets have grown rapidly, expanding from an earlier goal of 10,000 units by 2026 to 50,000 by 2027. The company plans to deploy 40 robots this year, scale to 10,000 next year, and then sharply increase output. Leadership with manufacturing experience from Tesla, Boston Dynamics, SpaceX, and 1X underpins this strategy, including a manufacturing head who helped ramp Tesla’s Model X and Model Y. Rather than selling robots outright, Foundation plans to lease each unit for roughly $100,000 per year, arguing that near-continuous operation could replace multiple human shifts—though real-world productivity at that level remains unproven.

Technically, Phantom MK-1 emphasizes simplified sensing and restrained autonomy. The robot relies primarily on cameras instead of complex sensor suites like LiDAR and uses proprietary cycloid actuators for strength, quiet operation, and safer interaction with humans. Crucially, Foundation insists the robot will operate under a human-in-the-loop model, similar to military drones, where navigation and movement are automated but lethal decisions remain under human control. Still, analysts warn that reducing risk to human soldiers could lower political barriers to deploying force, raising unresolved ethical and strategic concerns even as humanoid robots edge closer to operational reality.

read more at interestingengineering.com