Report: Nvidia and SoftBank to invest $1 billion in robotic brain startup Skild AI

Nvidia Corp. And SoftBank Group Corp. reportedly in talks with robotics artificial intelligence startup Competent AI an investment of more than a billion dollars. The proposed funding round would bring the startup’s valuation to more than $14 billion.

Skild AI was last valued at $4.7 billion after raising $500 million in May from investors including SoftBank, Nvidia, LG Technology Ventures, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and others.

Founded in 2023 by a group of former Meta Platforms Inc. AI researchers, Skild AI is trying to overcome one of the major obstacles preventing the broader deployment of autonomous robots in factories, warehouses and other workplaces. The startup created a robot independent foundation model which can be customized to fit robots of almost any form factor and serve as their “brains.”

According to Skild AI, its fundamental model is designed to enable robots to perform a much wider range of tasks than they can currently do, including perceiving their local environment, manipulating objects, locomotion and navigation. The model can be integrated into different types of robots, including humanoid robots designed to mirror the dexterity of real humans, quadrupedal robots capable of moving across various terrains, and factory-style robotic arms.

One of the benefits of Skild AI’s model is that it can teach robots to do things they weren’t even designed to do. The company calls these skills “emerging capabilities,” and while they are relatively simple actions, they could potentially make a real difference to robots working in physical environments.

For example, if a robot in a warehouse drops an item on the floor, Skild AI’s model can direct the robot to pick it up. It’s certainly a simple skill, but it will also be essential if companies want robots to one day replace humans. Skild AI claims it can also teach robots to do things such as rotate objects to grip them better. Importantly, these skills show that robots can learn new tasks in the field and improve over time.

The company introduced its newest general-purpose model, called Skild Brain, in July when it released a series of videos online showing robots performing different tasks, such as picking up dishes and walking up and down stairs. At the time, the startup also revealed that it had established strategic partnerships with LG CNS Co. Ltd., LG’s cloud computing and AI subsidiary, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co.

Reuters, which was first to report on the funding discussions, said SoftBank’s interest in the startup came from its CEO Masayoshi Son, who is very excited about the potential of robotics. In October, the company acquired the robotics business of Swiss engineering group ABB for $5.4 billion, and Son himself has reportedly been impressed by Skild AI’s technology in a number of pilot projects.

Interest in robotics has accelerated amid the AI ​​boom, as this technology significantly increases their potential to replace humans in different types of work environments. Robotics startups have attracted billions of dollars in funding, with one of the most recent fundraising coming from a startup called Physical Intelligence, backed by Amazon.com Inc. founder Jeff Bezos, and closing on Dec. 31. A round of funding of 600 million dollars last month. He also works on the “brains” of robots, with an initial focus on robotic arms.

Tech giants like Metaplatforms, Google SARL And Amazon have also invested heavily in AI for robots. Meanwhile, dozens of startups are trying to compete with Skild AI, with Gecko Robotics Inc., Genesis AI, Cobionix Corp. And Champ AI Inc. also raised significant amounts earlier this year.

Image: Skill AI