Meta plans to invest heavily in humanoid robots powered by AI


(Bloomberg) – Meta Platforms Inc. (Meta), after pushing into augmented reality and artificial intelligence, we identified the following big bet: AI-powered humanoid robots.

The company has invested heavily in this category – futuristic robots that behave like humans and can assist with physical tasks – working within the real-life lab hardware department, according to people with knowledge of the problem We are forming a new team to carry out the project.

Meta will be working with its own humanoid robot hardware, which initially focuses on housework. Its big ambition is to create AI, sensors and software that will be the basis for robots manufactured and sold by various companies, said those who called for the initiative not to be identified because the announcement has not been announced.

Meta has begun discussing plans with robotics companies such as Unitree Robotics and Figure AI Inc. At least initially, there are no plans to build Metabrand robots. This could be directly comparable to Tesla Inc.’s Optimus, but consider doing so in the future, people added.

Humanoid efforts reflect other tech giants exploration projects, such as Apple Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google Deepmind Division. A Meta spokesman declined to comment.

Mehta confirmed with employees on Friday that the new team will be founded, and reported that it will be led by Mark Witten, who resigned as chief executive of General Motors’ cruise autonomous vehicle division earlier this month. He was previously an executive at Gaming Company Unity Software Inc. and Amazon.com Inc.

“The core technologies we have already invested in and built in reality labs and AI complement the development of the advances needed in robotics,” said Andrew Bosworth, chief technology officer at Meta. This is written in a note reviewed by Bloomberg News. He mentioned the company’s advances in low bandwidth, hand tracking with always-on sensors, and computing.

Meta executives believe that while humanoid robot companies are making progress in hardware, Meta’s artificial intelligence advances and data collected from expanded virtual reality devices can accelerate early industrial advances. Masu. Today’s humanoids can fold clothes, carry a glass of water, place dishes on racks, clean other household chores that can be interested in the category, paint dishes, and It’s not as useful as applying a dish or applying a dish.

“We believe that expanding our portfolio to investments in this sector will only bring value to meta AI and mixed and expanded reality programs,” Bosworth writes. Reporting to Bosworth, Witten will acquire personnel this year to hire about 100 engineers, one of the people said.

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