Humanoid robots are clocking in for their first retail jobs. Figure AI, the buzzy robotics startup backed by Amazon and Microsoft, has secured a landmark deployment at JCPenney, Aéropostale, and Brooks Brothers stores across the United States. The multi-year agreement puts hundreds of Figure 02 humanoids to work restocking shelves, folding garments, and assisting customers—marking one of the largest commercial rollouts of general-purpose robots in the retail sector.
The deal, announced May 26, 2026, signals a paradigm shift in how brick-and-mortar retailers approach labor. JCPenney, Aéropostale, and Brooks Brothers—all owned by Sparc Group—are facing chronic staffing shortages and rising wage costs. Figure’s robots, which stand 5'6" and lift up to 40 pounds, can operate for 18 hours on a single charge and learn new tasks via teleoperation and AI. Sparc plans to deploy the robots in back-of-house roles initially, then expand to sales floors.
Figure AI was founded in 2022 by Brett Adcock, a serial entrepreneur who previously started Archer Aviation. The company has raised over $1.5 billion from investors including Microsoft, OpenAI, Nvidia, and Jeff Bezos. Its Figure 02 robot features a dexterous five-fingered hand, stereo vision, and onboard AI that allows it to understand natural language commands. The startup has been testing the robots in warehouses and manufacturing, but the retail partnership is its first major service-sector contract.
Financial terms were not disclosed, but sources estimate the deal could be worth tens of millions of dollars over three years. The robots are leased on a monthly basis, similar to a robotics-as-a-service model. Early pilot data shows that the Figure 02 can reduce restocking time by 40% compared to a human worker. JCPenney CEO Michael Loehrs stated that the company is “excited to leverage cutting-edge technology to enhance the shopping experience and improve operational efficiency.”
Industry analysts say this deployment could accelerate adoption of humanoid robots in retail, a sector that has been slower to automate than logistics or manufacturing. “Retail has been waiting for a robot that can navigate a cluttered environment and handle delicate items like clothes,” said robotics expert Dr. Catherine Lin. “Figure is proving that humanoids can work alongside people safely.” However, labor unions and worker advocacy groups have expressed concern about job displacement. The retailers insist that the robots will augment—not replace—human workers, and that they will help fill roles that are difficult to staff.
The next milestone to watch is public reaction. If the robots perform well and shoppers accept them, other chains will likely follow. Figure AI is already in talks with several global retailers, and plans to double its robot production capacity to 5,000 units per year by 2027. The JCPenney, Aéropostale, and Brooks Brothers test could be the spark that turns humanoid robots from science fiction into a retail reality.
Robotics
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Figure Humanoid Robots Get Jobs With JCPenney, Aéropostale, Brooks Brothers
Figure got a job at dad’s company. Not literally, of course, because humanoid robots don’t have dads. Or moms. But figuratively (sorry).
John Koetsier, Senior Contributor
Forbes
3 min read
6/10
Key Takeaways
- Figure AI has deployed Figure 02 humanoid robots at JCPenney, Aéropostale, and Brooks Brothers stores owned by Sparc Group, starting with 100 units and scaling to 500 by year-end 2026.
- The Figure 02 robot can lift 40 pounds, operate 18 hours per charge, and understand natural language via onboard AI, making it suited for restocking, folding, and customer-service tasks.
- Figure AI has raised over $1.5 billion from investors including Microsoft, OpenAI, Nvidia, and Amazon, and is valued at $2.6 billion as of early 2026.
- Early pilot data indicates a 40% reduction in restocking time and a 30% cost savings compared to human labor, according to company estimates.
- The three retailers collectively operate over 1,800 U.S. stores, and the partnership could expand to additional Sparc-owned brands if the pilot succeeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Figure AI is a robotics company founded in 2022 by Brett Adcock. It develops general-purpose humanoid robots like the Figure 02, backed by Microsoft, OpenAI, Nvidia, and Amazon. The company is valued at $2.6 billion.
JCPenney, Aéropostale, and Brooks Brothers—all owned by Sparc Group—have partnered with Figure AI to deploy the Figure 02 humanoid robot in their U.S. stores.
The Figure 02 robots will initially handle back-of-house tasks such as restocking shelves, folding garments, and moving inventory. Later they may assist customers on the sales floor.
Retailers say the robots are meant to augment—not replace—human employees, filling hard-to-staff roles. Labor groups remain concerned about long-term job displacement.
Figure AI has deployed around 100 Figure 02 robots across select stores, with plans to scale to 500 units by the end of 2026 and potentially 1,000 by 2027.
Figure AI uses a robotics-as-a-service model, leasing the robots on a monthly basis. Exact pricing is not public, but analysts estimate a cost of $2,000–$3,000 per month per robot.
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