Meta Reportedly Builds Humanoid Robot for Household Chores With Chinese Startup Fourier

Meta is reportedly moving beyond software and smart devices into humanoid robotics after developing a working robot prototype designed to assist with household tasks. The robot, internally codenamed Max, was built in collaboration with Chinese robotics company Fourier in approximately three months, according to a report by The Information.

The development represents a more concrete step in Meta’s ambitions to bring artificial intelligence into everyday physical environments. The company is reportedly developing a second-generation prototype, Max 2, with improvements intended to help the machine interact with objects and navigate home environments. However, the project remains experimental, and there is no confirmed launch date for a consumer product.

Key Takeaways

• Meta reportedly developed a humanoid robot called Max with Chinese robotics company Fourier.
• The prototype was reportedly built in around three months and weighs approximately 106 pounds.
• Max features five-fingered hands, speakers and a display capable of showing facial expressions.
• Meta and Fourier have reportedly started developing a second version, Max 2.
• Meta sees humanoid robots as a possible physical extension of its Muse AI agent.
• The company says its work with Fourier is for internal research and experimentation, with no current plans to sell the prototypes.

Meta’s Max Robot: What the Prototype Can Do

According to The Information, Max stands approximately 1.5 metres tall and weighs around 106 pounds, or 48 kilograms. The companies reportedly developed it by adapting Fourier’s existing robotics hardware and modifying its proportions, head design, cameras and other components.

The prototype reportedly includes several features intended to make interaction with people and everyday objects easier.

Its hands have five fingers and are designed to pick up smaller objects, including bottles and toys. Speakers are built into its chest, while a display on its face can reproduce expressions through animated eyes and a mouth.

The reported specifications also include the ability to recognise a person’s voice from approximately five metres away and interpret hand gestures from around three metres away. The robot is also designed to maintain eye contact and communicate different interaction states, such as listening, thinking and speaking.

These capabilities suggest that Meta is exploring more than a machine that performs repetitive movements. The company appears interested in robots that can perceive people, understand their instructions and respond naturally in domestic environments.

However, the reported features should not be confused with proof that Max can independently complete everyday household routines. There has been no public demonstration establishing that the prototype can reliably clean a home, prepare meals or perform a broad range of chores without human assistance.

Max 2: Meta Is Already Working on a Second Prototype

Meta and Fourier reportedly began developing the next version, Max 2, in September 2026. The updated robot is expected to address some of the limitations of the first prototype.

According to the report, the second version will include a redesigned torso and improved hands intended to handle objects more effectively. It is also expected to feature a built-in projector and additional sensors to help the robot climb and descend stairs.

Stair navigation is particularly important for a household robot. Unlike a factory or warehouse, a typical home contains different floor levels, narrow passages, furniture, stairs and objects that can change position.

A machine that works reliably in a controlled demonstration may struggle when faced with these unpredictable conditions. Improving its ability to understand its surroundings and move safely could therefore be essential to making humanoid robots useful outside laboratories.

No confirmed commercial launch timeline has been announced for either prototype.

Why Meta Wants to Build Humanoid Robots

Meta’s interest in robotics is connected to its broader artificial intelligence strategy. The company has been developing AI systems that can understand instructions, interact with users and perform increasingly complex tasks.

A humanoid robot could give these systems a physical presence, allowing an AI assistant to interact with objects and environments rather than responding only through a screen or speaker.

According to The Information, Meta views humanoid robots as a potential physical extension of its Muse AI agent. The long-term ambition is to develop machines that could assist people with household activities and other everyday tasks.

This approach could also create new opportunities for Meta’s existing investments in AI, sensors, computer vision and wearable technology.

The company has experience developing devices that interpret human movement and understand their surroundings, including its virtual and augmented reality hardware. Some of these capabilities could be relevant to robotics, although adapting them to a machine that physically moves through a home presents additional engineering challenges.

Meta Has Been Expanding Its Robotics Capabilities

The Max prototype is part of a wider robotics effort that Meta began developing before the latest report.

In February 2025, reports revealed that Meta had established a robotics-focused team within its Reality Labs organisation. The initiative was intended to explore humanoid hardware as well as the underlying AI, sensors and software needed to power robots.

Meta’s ambitions are not necessarily limited to manufacturing its own machines. The company has also explored developing technology that other robotics manufacturers could use.

In May 2026, Meta acquired Assured Robot Intelligence, a startup working on AI models designed to help robots understand, predict and adapt to human behaviour in complex environments. The acquisition strengthened Meta’s capabilities in robotic intelligence.

The combination of AI research, robotics software and hardware partnerships could help Meta build a broader technology platform for physical AI.

Why the Partnership With China’s Fourier Matters

Fourier is a Shanghai-based robotics company that develops humanoid and other robotic systems. Its existing hardware and engineering experience reportedly helped Meta develop the Max prototype in a relatively short period.

The collaboration is notable because Meta is an American technology company working with a Chinese robotics manufacturer at a time when the United States and China are competing across important technology sectors.

Building a humanoid robot requires expertise across mechanical engineering, sensors, computing, motion control and artificial intelligence. Working with an established robotics manufacturer can provide access to hardware and practical engineering experience that would take considerable time to develop internally.

The reported partnership also illustrates how the global robotics industry is developing through collaborations between AI companies and specialised hardware manufacturers.

However, the precise division of engineering responsibilities between Meta and Fourier has not been publicly established.

The Bigger Picture: The Race to Bring AI Into Homes

Humanoid robotics is becoming an increasingly important area of competition for technology companies. Businesses are exploring whether advances in AI can make machines capable of performing physical tasks in environments designed for people.

Companies such as Tesla, Figure AI and several Chinese robotics manufacturers are pursuing different approaches to humanoid machines. Meta’s potential advantage may lie in its AI models, software and experience building consumer technology rather than in manufacturing robotic hardware alone.

But household robotics is considerably more complicated than demonstrating a robot walking or picking up an object. A useful home assistant must recognise unfamiliar objects, handle fragile items, understand changing instructions and operate safely around children, pets and people.

It must also work reliably across different home layouts without requiring constant supervision. These challenges remain significant barriers to widespread adoption.

For Meta, the Max project could provide an opportunity to test how its AI systems perform when connected to a physical machine. It could also help the company understand which hardware and software capabilities are needed before a consumer-ready robot becomes practical.

Looking Ahead

Meta’s reported collaboration with Fourier shows that the company’s robotics ambitions are progressing beyond early research discussions. The development of Max 2 suggests that the teams are continuing to refine the prototype, particularly its ability to manipulate objects and navigate household environments. However, the available information does not establish when a finished product could reach consumers.

The next important milestones will be improvements in reliability, safety, autonomy and the ability to perform useful tasks in unpredictable surroundings. Until Meta demonstrates these capabilities publicly and announces a commercial strategy, Max should be viewed as an experimental step in the company’s broader effort to bring AI into the physical world.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Has Meta built a humanoid robot?

According to a report by The Information, Meta developed a humanoid robot prototype with Chinese robotics company Fourier. The machine is internally known as Max. Reuters reported the claim but said it could not independently verify it.

2. What is the name of Meta’s humanoid robot?

The first reported prototype is internally codenamed Max. A second version, reportedly called Max 2, is also under development.

3. What can Meta’s Max robot reportedly do?

The prototype reportedly has five-fingered hands for picking up small objects, speakers and a facial display. It is also designed to recognise voices, interpret gestures and interact with people.

4. Who helped Meta build the humanoid robot?

Meta reportedly collaborated with Fourier, a robotics company based in Shanghai, China. Fourier contributed existing robotics hardware and engineering experience.

5. Will Meta sell its humanoid robot?

There is no confirmed consumer launch. Meta told The Information that its work with Fourier is focused on internal research and experimentation and that it has no current plans to sell the prototype units.

6. What is Meta trying to achieve with humanoid robots?

Meta reportedly sees humanoid robots as a potential physical extension of its Muse AI agent. Its longer-term ambition is to develop AI-powered machines that can assist with household tasks and interact with people in everyday environments.