openai OpenAI Explores Return to Humanoid Robotics After Years of Investing OpenAI reportedly considers developing its own humanoid robot, marking a potential return to hardware ambitions it abandoned in 2021. The company currently backs several robotics startups but faces fierce competition if it builds in-house.
tetsuwan scientific Tetsuwan Scientific Builds AI-Powered Robots to Automate Lab Experiments Tetsuwan Scientific combines low-cost lab robots with large language models to create automated AI scientists that perform and adjust experiments without human intervention. The startup aims to eliminate the tedious manual labor that currently plagues lab technicians.
amazon Amazon Launches AGI SF Lab to Develop Next-Generation AI Agents Amazon opens a new San Francisco research lab led by Adept co-founder David Luan to build AI agents capable of navigating software and performing complex real-world tasks.
amp robotics Amp Robotics Secures $91 Million to Expand AI-Powered Recycling Facilities Amp Robotics raises $91 million in Series D funding to scale its automated, robot-filled waste sorting facilities. The company uses AI and robotic arms to simplify recycling and increase recovery rates.
teleo Teleo Raises $16.2M to Build Massive Robotics Dataset Construction robotics startup Teleo secures $16.2 million in extended Series A funding to gather the massive datasets needed for a breakthrough in robotic intelligence.
botinkit Botinkit Raises $21M to Tackle Restaurant Labor Shortages with Wok-Cooking Robots Shenzhen-based startup Botinkit designs a kiosk-like robotic system that automates wok-style cooking to cut kitchen staffing needs in half. The company extends its Series A to $21 million to expand its international footprint.
kiwibot Kiwibot Launches Robot Rental Service for Delivery, Ads, and Warehousing Kiwibot introduces a robot-as-a-service model that allows businesses to temporarily rent its autonomous robots for advertising, last-mile delivery, or warehouse logistics.
irobot iRobot Cuts 105 More Jobs as Workforce Shrinks by Half iRobot lays off an additional 105 employees as part of an ongoing operational restructuring following the collapse of its Amazon acquisition. The company now operates with half the global workforce it started the year with.
physical intelligence Physical Intelligence Secures $400M to Build Universal Robot Brain Physical Intelligence raises $400 million at a $2.4 billion valuation to develop a universal AI model that acts as a brain for any robot. The startup's pi-zero model enables machines to understand the physical world and complete complex, multi-step tasks through simple user instructions.
openai OpenAI Hires Former Meta AR Glasses Chief to Lead Robotics Push OpenAI brings on Caitlin Kalinowski, the former hardware lead behind Meta's Orion AR glasses, to spearhead its new robotics and consumer hardware initiatives.
meta Meta Partners to Commercialize Advanced Touch-Sensing Robot Hand Meta teams up with GelSight and Wonik Robotics to sell advanced tactile sensors and robotic hands to researchers. The new Digit 360 sensor detects vibrations, heat, and even odors to help AI better understand the physical world.
wayve UK Self-Driving Startup Wayve Expands Testing to San Francisco Well-funded UK startup Wayve brings its self-learning autonomous driving technology to the U.S., launching initial tests with Ford Mustang Mach-Es in San Francisco.
robotics Three-Person Startup Teams With Yves Behar to Build Home Humanoids A tiny robotics startup operates out of a chaotic Palo Alto garage to create a home humanoid robot, partnering with renowned designer Yves Behar to craft its unique aesthetic.
amazon Amazon Expands Next-Generation Robotic Warehouses Beyond Mobile Rovers Amazon's chief technologist reveals how the company is integrating advanced robotic arms and massive storage systems into its fulfillment centers. The retail giant currently operates over 750,000 robots across its U.S. network.
robotics North American Robotics Sales Dip Amid Economic Headwinds in Early 2024 The North American robotics market experiences a decline in orders and revenue during the first half of 2024 as inflation and borrowing costs delay major manufacturer investments.