Alphabet-owned robotics software company Intrinsic joins Google | TechCrunch
Summary
Intrinsic, a robotics software company under Alphabet, is now joining Google to enhance its AI capabilities, focusing on making industrial robots more accessible.
Why It Matters
This transition signifies a strategic move by Google to strengthen its position in the physical AI sector, leveraging Intrinsic's technology and expertise to innovate in manufacturing and robotics. The collaboration aims to democratize robotics, making it more accessible to developers and businesses, which could lead to significant advancements in automation and efficiency in various industries.
Key Takeaways
- Intrinsic will operate under Google while collaborating closely with Google DeepMind.
- The move aims to enhance the accessibility of robotics through advanced AI models.
- Intrinsic has previously acquired other companies to bolster its capabilities.
- The partnership is expected to transform manufacturing operations and economics.
- Physical AI is increasingly viewed as a critical area for future technological advancements.
Google is moving further into physical AI by bringing a familiar robotics software platform under its wing. Alphabet-owned Intrinsic, which builds AI models and software designed to make industrial robots more accessible, is joining Google, the companies announced on Wednesday. Intrinsic will remain a distinct entity within Google but will work closely with Google DeepMind and will tap into Google’s Gemini AI models and cloud services. Alphabet declined to share information regarding funding or purchase price. Intrinsic “graduated” into an independent Alphabet-owned company in 2021 after five years of development within Alphabet’s X, the company’s moonshot research division. Other companies that have graduated from X include robotaxi company Waymo and drone delivery company Wing. Wendy Tan White has served as Intrinsic’s CEO since its spinout in 2021. The company hit the ground running. A few months after announcing its independence, Intrinsic acquired Vicarious, a fellow robotics software company, in April 2022. While the purchase price wasn’t disclosed, Vicarious had raised about $250 million from VCs and tech big wigs like Jeff Bezos. A few months later, Intrinsic acquired several for-profit divisions of Open Robotics, a non-profit organization that builds hardware and software platforms for the robotics industry. Techcrunch event Save up to $300 or 30% to TechCrunch Founder Summit 1,000+ founders and investors come together at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 for a full ...
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