Tutor Intelligence opens DF1 Data Factory with 100 robots trained by remote tutors to develop commercially deployable humanoid AI

Tutor Intelligence built DF1, a Data Factory comprising 100 bimanual Sonny semi-humanoid robots supervised by 45 to 50 remote tutors in Mexico and the Philippines, to collect real-world training data for its Ti0 vision-language-action model. The company raised $34 million in Series A funding in December 2025.

DF1 uses proprioceptive teleoperation (remote control based on touch and force feedback) and a scoring method to detect and correct robot behaviors across the fleet 100x faster than single-robot training—an edge case that normally requires eight hours of operation becomes visible in five minutes of DF1 operation.

Tutor's Cassie mobile manipulator can be deployed in two days, handles boxes weighing up to 50 lb., and moves up to 14 cases per minute; the company charges $14 to $18 per hour for the service and uses a no-contract, usage-based pricing model. Customers including Productiv and BetterBody Foods report rapid payback and high quality (99.9% placement accuracy).