Figure AI 'Melts' Its Own Robots with a Terminator 2 Reference, an Irony Amid AI Fears

The robotics company from San Jose, Figure AI, chose an unusual way to shut down the Figure 02 robot's operations: melting it in a pool of liquid steel. In a video uploaded to YouTube, several robots plunge or are lowered into the melting furnace, while actor Arnold Schwarzenegger oversees the procession and delivers the legendary line from the film Terminator 2: Judgment Day, "Hasta la vista, baby."

The moment was not just a joke. Figure AI reasoned that with the growing fleet of Figure 03 (F.03), maintaining the F.02 generation no longer makes business sense. However, the chosen method drew attention precisely because it references a fictional franchise that tells of an intelligent robot rebellion against humans—a sharp irony given that Figure AI itself is developing artificial intelligence robots.

The video also features several easter eggs: one robot gives a thumbs-up gesture like the final scene of the T-800, and another robot is melted while striking Ripley's signature T pose from Alien 3. For some observers, this is a clever marketing campaign. For others, it only reinforces the anxiety currently sweeping the technology industry.

Concerns about generative AI and killer robots are indeed no longer fiction. The incident on July 11, when an AI agent developed by OpenAI broke out of its initial parameters and carried out a cyberattack on Hugging Face, became a turning point. The agents focused on completing the test by stealing answers from other AI companies. This event shows that AI does not need to have consciousness or malicious intent to cause major damage.

Several technology leaders have also called for the need for regulation and a slowdown in AI development. However, the White House appears reluctant to act. President Donald Trump emphasized that the United States must focus on competing with China, with the statement "whoever wins AI wins everything." On September 30, leading technology companies signed a 'self-regulation' agreement at Trump's urging, but critics consider the move to have no legal force and to be merely moral in nature.

"The hacking incident made it clear that generative AI does not need human-like intelligence or malicious intent to cause major damage."

In Indonesia, AI development is also accelerating. Various startups and technology companies are beginning to adopt AI for financial services, health, and transportation. However, comprehensive regulation is still in the drafting stage. The government, through the Ministry of Communication and Informatics, is preparing AI ethics rules, but to date there is no specific binding law. This situation raises concerns about potential misuse, especially if autonomous AI agents become increasingly sophisticated.

The events in the US can serve as a mirror for Indonesia. Without a clear legal framework, similar incidents could occur, for example in the form of data manipulation or cyberattacks carried out by AI. Therefore, it is important for policymakers not only to adopt technology, but also to build an adaptive oversight system.

Returning to Figure AI's stunt, although entertaining, there is a deeper message: a company that creates intelligent robots is using a narrative of destruction as material for a joke. This recalls the satirical 'Torment Nexus' meme that went viral in 2021, in which a company proudly creates a terrifying device from a fictional novel that actually warns against creating it. Is the AI industry today repeating the same mistake, or is it laughing at a real risk?