Foundation Future Industries, backed by Eric Trump, manufactures humanoid robots with kinetic capabilities for military use. The Phantom MK1 has already been tested in Ukraine.
Foundation Future Industries, a US startup backed by Eric Trump, son of President Donald Trump, is developing humanoid robots for military purposes that incorporate lethal systems. The company's CEO, Sankaet Pathak, confirmed that the project includes kinetic capabilities, a term that in military contexts refers to active weaponry.
Global interest in autonomous robots in the military sector is growing alongside advances in artificial intelligence and robotics. While international bodies discuss limits and dangers, private companies are accelerating the development of previously unimaginable technologies.
Phantom MK1: the robot already fighting in Ukraine
The main prototype of Foundation Future Industries is the Phantom MK1, a humanoid robot that has already been tested with Ukrainian forces in real war scenarios. The company has not only secured million-dollar government contracts but also benefits from strategic advice and direct investment from Eric Trump.
Sankaet Pathak, CEO of the startup, revealed that the company is exploring “kinetic things” for its robots, although he did not specify the specific weapons. He indicated that concrete advancements will be announced in the coming months. In addition to combat, the robots would perform logistical, reconnaissance, and inspection tasks in conflict zones.
The lucrative business of war with AI
Foundation Future Industries was founded in 2024 and quickly acquired the firm Boardwalk Robotics, which specializes in humanoids and collaborates with the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition. Currently, the company manages inherited contracts and development agreements with the Pentagon and other US entities.
Foundation's focus on the military market has proven to be lucrative. Robotics experts consulted by specialized media assert that the demand for systems that can replace soldiers in high-risk tasks is real and that the technology is close to being deployed in operational scenarios.
International debate: autonomous weapons and moral risk
The rise of armed humanoid robots rekindles the debate over so-called lethal autonomous weapons. The United Nations has called for a ban on these systems that, supported by artificial intelligence, can select and attack targets without direct human control.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres insists on the need to prohibit under international law the “machines that decide who lives and who dies”, describing their use as “morally repugnant”. Organizations like Human Rights Watch warn about the “digital dehumanization”, where algorithms make crucial decisions about life and death.
Among the main risks are identification errors (confusion between civilians and combatants), accelerated escalation (less margin for reviewing actions), diffuse responsibility (doubts about accountability), and decreased political cost (reducing the risk for those who initiate a war).
Several powers, including the United States, Russia, China, and Israel, are investing in autonomous systems on various fronts. While proponents argue that automatic systems can operate with greater precision and fewer human errors, critics insist on maintaining human judgment to avoid abuses and fatal mistakes.
For readers interested in the defence and technology business, this news marks a milestone: the convergence between humanoid robotics and artificial intelligence applied to the military realm is no longer science fiction. Companies like Foundation Future Industries are setting the pace for an industry that promises to be worth billions, but also raises unprecedented ethical and legal dilemmas.
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