Meta reportedly built a humanoid prototype with Chinese startup Fourier
From the Robots digest for Oct 31, 2026
Thread: robots — Meta–Fourier humanoid prototype Max · new
What happened: Meta has built a prototype humanoid robot with the Chinese robotics company Fourier and is already working on a second version for home-robot research, as Meta pushes its Llama-powered AI into robotics, according to a report citing unnamed sources. Companion reporting names the prototype Max, weighing 106 pounds (about 48 kg) and built in three months, and says Meta has told other outlets the units are for internal research rather than sale. A further report adds the geopolitical frame: Meta working with a Chinese manufacturer just as Washington tightens the definition of which foreign-made robots are restricted under the Trump administration.
What's genuinely new: Meta's "not for sale" stance on the prototype and the foreign-restrictions context around the Chinese partner are the additions. The prototype itself remains unconfirmed — neither company has confirmed it, Reuters could not verify the three-month build, and no Meta confirmation or denial is in the reporting.
Watch: Confirmation or denial from Meta or Fourier, details and timing on the second version, whether the Chinese tie-up collides with US restrictions on foreign robots, and any demonstration of Llama-powered autonomy.
Links: The Information · Crypto Briefing · RobotsBeat · The Deep Dive · Oct 31, 4:33 PM ET