What happened
KDDI and ELYZA set up ELYZA Robotics, which began operating on October 1, 2026, as a center of excellence for physical AI covering research through real-world deployment.
Why it matters
The new company combines ELYZA's foundation-model expertise with KDDI Group resources to help address expected labor shortages in sectors such as retail, logistics, and manufacturing.
What to watch
Proof-of-concept trials are scheduled to start in 2026 across a wide range of worksites.
WHO IT HITSThis affects companies in retail, logistics, manufacturing, and services that may deploy robots for tasks like inventory management, heavy lifting, and precision work, as well as KDDI Group partners involved in the trials.
Summaries like this, every morning.
The creation of ELYZA Robotics comes as Japan faces a projected shortage of workers in production, construction, and services by 2040, according to a Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry estimate. KDDI has positioned physical AI as a priority area in its push toward an "AI-natural society" where AI is embedded in all industries.
ELYZA Robotics aims to combine two capabilities: advanced research and development, including robot foundation models such as vision-language models (VLMs) and vision-language-action models (VLAs), and on-site implementation, which involves collecting work data from actual sites and integrating with systems like digital twins. The company plans to leverage KDDI Group companies such as Lawson, Altius Link, KDDI Ailet, KDDI Technology, LAC, and Soracom, which bring diverse operational and technical expertise.
The company has outlined three pillars: R&D of advanced and peripheral technologies, embedding into operations based on on-site implementation, and developing a physical AI platform. It will procure various robots—industrial, quadruped, and humanoid—from leading robot vendors and provide them to customers after customization. Proof-of-concept trials are set to begin in 2026, with gradual deployment thereafter.
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