Alphabet Inc. (GOOG, Finance) is furthering its commitment to AI-powered robots through a new collaboration with its DeepMind subsidiary and Germany-based Agile Robots.
The goal of this partnership is to add DeepMind’s multimodal AI models that can process visual, language, and touch inputs to Agile Robots’ industrial systems. The Munich-based company has shipped over 20,000 robotic devices around the world. The company aims to leverage this technology to automate electronics manufacturing, automotive production, logistics, and data centers.
Agile Robots claimed that the partnership will focus on improving robot performance by using robots in real life, collecting data, and constantly training models. This project combines DeepMind’s Gemini Robotics models with Agile’s hardware and AI solutions already in use.
The move is in line with Alphabet’s larger plans to move into “physical AI,” where machine learning models are used in real-world settings. Earlier this year, the company also partnered with Boston Dynamics and other robotics companies on humanoid systems.
Investors including SoftBank Vision Fund and Xiaomi have contributed more than $270 million to Agile Robotics since its launch in 2018. The agreement signals increased competition in the industrial automation space as companies seek to leverage powerful AI in real-world systems.
