Figure’s Humanoid Robots at BMW: A 2025 Analysis of Manufacturing Automation’s New Frontier

Industry Adoption: AI Workflow Automation Moves from Code to the Factory Floor

Between 2021 and 2024, the adoption of AI workflow automation was characterized by a software-centric approach, focused on digitizing back-office processes and achieving efficiency gains in digital environments. During this period, the market was defined by the proliferation of no-code platforms like Activepieces and Make, which democratized access to automation for non-technical users. The primary value proposition was clear and quantifiable: boosting efficiency by 40-60% and reducing manual errors by up to 90%. A 2023 IBM survey underscored this momentum, revealing that 92% of executives expected their workflows to be AI-enabled by 2025. The inflection point arrived in January 2024 with the commercial agreement between Figure, a developer of autonomous humanoid robots, and BMW Manufacturing. This deal, deploying general-purpose robots into an automotive production facility, signaled a pivotal expansion of AI automation from the digital realm of workflows to the physical world of manufacturing.

From January 2025 to today, the narrative has evolved from adoption to strategic integration and ecosystem-building. While software automation continues to mature with major players like ServiceNow launching its Workflow Data Network and UiPath partnering with AWS and Google Cloud to build integrated ecosystems, the Figure-BMW partnership represents the cutting edge of adoption. It moves beyond automating tasks in finance or legal to automating “difficult, unsafe, or tedious” physical tasks on a production line. This shift is validated by a projected eightfold increase in AI-enabled enterprise workflows by the end of 2025. The variety of applications, from ServiceNow’s IT service management to Figure’s humanoid robots, demonstrates that AI automation is no longer a monolithic concept. Instead, it is a spectrum of technologies being applied to solve specific, high-value problems across the entire enterprise, from a financial analyst’s desktop to the automotive assembly line. This expansion presents a new opportunity to redefine operational excellence in capital-intensive industries.

Table: Market Investment & ROI Projections for AI Workflow Automation

Table: Key Strategic Partnerships in AI Workflow Automation

Geography of Humanoid Robotics in Advanced Manufacturing

Between 2021 and 2024, the geographic focus of AI workflow automation was concentrated in the established tech hubs of North America and Europe. The technology’s application was primarily in software and finance, with firms like Ontra serving a client base of major private equity firms headquartered in these regions. However, the landmark event of this period, the Figure and BMW Manufacturing agreement in January 2024, firmly anchored the next wave of physical automation in North America. The decision to deploy humanoid robots at BMW’s facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina, highlights the region’s strategic importance as a hub for advanced manufacturing and robotics innovation. This move was complemented by policy signals, such as a Canadian government report on generative AI’s potential, indicating growing governmental support for automation to boost national productivity.

From 2025 to today, the geographic landscape has become more defined. While the major software ecosystem partnerships (ServiceNow, UiPath, AWS) are led by US-based companies with a global enterprise scope, the most critical physical deployment remains in the United States. The success of the Figure-BMW project in South Carolina is being watched globally and sets a precedent for where capital-intensive physical automation is most likely to scale first. This suggests that regions combining a strong industrial base, technological leadership, and favorable policy environments—like the American Southeast—are poised to become epicenters for the deployment of humanoid robotics. The emerging risk is a geographic concentration of this transformative technology, potentially creating a competitive divide between regions that successfully integrate physical AI into their industrial cores and those that do not.

Technology Maturity of Humanoid Robotics in Advanced Manufacturing

In the 2021–2024 period, the maturity of AI automation was largely confined to software applications reaching commercial scale. No-code platforms like Activepieces and FlowForma moved from emerging tools to enterprise-ready solutions, allowing for the widespread automation of digital workflows. The key validation point for physical automation came at the end of this period with the Figure-BMW agreement. This commercial deal signified that humanoid robotics had advanced from laboratory concepts (low Technology Readiness Level) to the initial commercial pilot phase. The plan to start with a “small number of robots” and scale based on performance is a classic pilot-to-production model, proving the technology was mature enough for a real-world industrial setting, albeit a controlled one.

From 2025 onwards, the market has seen a distinct divergence in maturity. In software, the trend is toward scaling and intelligence, with “Agentic AI” becoming a mainstream concept. Products like Docusign’s AI Contract Agents are commercially available, capable of autonomously analyzing agreements. However, in the physical realm, maturity is still nascent. Figure’s humanoid robots at BMW represent a technology in the commercial pilot stage, not yet at full-scale deployment. This is reflective of a broader market reality: a January 2025 McKinsey report noted that only 1% of companies believe their AI implementation is at a mature stage. This reveals a significant gap between investment and operationalization. While the technology for both software and physical agents is advancing rapidly, the ability of organizations to integrate, manage, and scale these systems remains a critical bottleneck, indicating that the market for advanced physical automation is still in its early innings.

Table: SWOT Analysis of Humanoid Robotics in Advanced Manufacturing

Forward-Looking Insights and Summary

The data from 2025 clearly signals that AI automation is bifurcating into two parallel tracks: the scaling of integrated software ecosystems and the pioneering of physical, agentic robotics. For strategists and investors, the most critical signal to watch in the year ahead is the performance of Figure’s humanoid robots at the BMW facility in South Carolina. This deployment is no longer a hypothetical; it is the industry’s foremost bellwether for the viability of humanoid robots in complex manufacturing environments. Success here, measured by performance milestones and a decision to scale beyond the initial pilot, will unlock a new wave of investment and competitive activity in physical automation.

Market actors should pay close attention to any announcements of similar pilots from other automotive, aerospace, or logistics companies, as this will indicate whether the Figure-BMW model is replicable or an outlier. Furthermore, the “Agentic AI” trend is gaining significant traction in software and is the underlying technology enabling Figure’s robots. Its mainstreaming will be a key driver of productivity. However, the stark reality that only 1% of companies have achieved AI maturity is a crucial counter-signal. It suggests a massive opportunity for service providers and integrators who can bridge the chasm between technological possibility and operational reality. The key takeaway is this: while software automation becomes a utility, the frontier of competitive advantage is moving to the factory floor. The Figure-BMW partnership is the first concrete step into that frontier, and its outcome will shape the industrial landscape for the rest of the decade.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main shift happening in AI automation as of 2025?
The main shift is the expansion of AI automation from a purely software-centric approach, focused on digitizing back-office workflows, to physical automation on the factory floor. The commercial agreement between Figure and BMW Manufacturing to deploy humanoid robots in an automotive plant signifies a pivotal move from automating digital tasks to automating ‘difficult, unsafe, or tedious’ physical work.

Why is the Figure-BMW partnership considered a landmark event?
The Figure-BMW partnership is a landmark event because it is the first major commercial agreement to deploy general-purpose humanoid robots into an automotive production facility. It validates that the technology has moved from a research concept to a commercial pilot phase, serving as the industry’s foremost bellwether for the viability of physical AI automation in complex industrial environments.

What is the financial return and market potential for AI workflow automation?
According to the provided data, AI workflow automation offers a strong financial case. Early adopters are realizing a return on investment (ROI) of $1.41 for every dollar spent. The market also shows significant growth potential, with projections forecasting it to reach $23.77 billion in 2025 and generate $80.9 billion in revenue by 2030.

Despite high investment, how mature is AI adoption across most companies?
AI adoption is still in its very early stages across most organizations. A January 2025 McKinsey report mentioned in the analysis reveals that only 1% of companies believe their AI implementation is at a mature stage. This indicates a significant gap between investment in the technology and the ability of businesses to fully integrate and scale it operationally.

What is the key trend to watch for the future of physical automation in manufacturing?
The most critical trend to watch is the performance and scalability of the Figure humanoid robots at the BMW facility in South Carolina. The success of this pilot will determine if the model is replicable across other industries like aerospace and logistics. This deployment is considered the primary indicator that will unlock a new wave of investment and competition in physical, agentic robotics.