A San Francisco startup is designing humanoid robots for combat, diverging from other robotics companies that oppose weaponizing their creations.
NewsNation had an exclusive look at the Phantom MK-1, a 5-foot-9-inch, 175-pound humanoid robot developed by Foundation. The robot can carry up to 44 pounds and is tailored for military use. Foundation is working to secure contracts with the Department of Defense and plans to produce 10,000 units next year.
Sankaet Pathak, the CEO of Foundation, believes these robots could be crucial in reducing human casualties during ground warfare. Foundation is the only known company focused on producing humanoid robots specifically for military functions.
Phantom MK-1 is designed to be the “first line of defense” in combat situations. Pathak envisions warfare evolving into real-life video games, where all branches of the military—air, land, and sea—are autonomous. However, despite significant advancements in artificial intelligence, these robots will not operate independently.
Pathak emphasized that human operators will always oversee the robots. While AI will help with targeting, navigation, and trajectory calculations, humans will still control the final decisions, especially concerning weapon deployment. Initially, the robots will serve as ground drones for reconnaissance and defense, similar to the role of aerial drones. In the future, they may also be used for offensive operations, bomb disposal, and further reconnaissance tasks.
Foundation is one of approximately two dozen companies developing humanoid robots, though most focus on civilian industries. Tesla, for example, is developing its Optimus robots for vehicle production.
Morgan Stanley forecasts that humanoid robots will have broad market adoption by the late 2030s. The military sector is expected to contribute a significant share, with the overall market projected to exceed $5 trillion by 2050.
Pathak noted that both China and the U.S. are making rapid progress in humanoid robot development, but the U.S. is behind in manufacturing capacity. He predicts that humanoid robots will be deployed on battlefields within a decade, with human soldiers only stepping in when needed. Future versions of the Phantom could be faster, stronger, and more heavily armed, designed for harsh environments.