Robotics

Today's Stories

1. 1

   Toyota Motor Europe to deploy 400,000 AI robots from 2028

   Toyota Motor Europe said at a mid-September investor tech briefing that it will deploy 400,000 self-developed AI robots across Toyota group and supplier operations from 2028 onward, including semi-humanoid ELEY units running a large behavioral model (LBM). Putting LBM-driven robots into its own plants and those of its suppliers suggests Toyota intends to carry embodied AI from internal trials into day-to-day production work, rather than buying such systems from outside vendors.

   The 400,000 figure and the 2028 timing are stated plans, not installed robots, so the test is whether Toyota group plants and its supplier network actually adopt the machines. Watch for progress tied to the 2028 start.

2. 2

   Anthropic opens AI-powered wet lab in San Francisco Bay Area

   Reuters reported that Anthropic PBC opened a wet lab in the San Francisco Bay Area, where robots powered by its Claude large language models will automate certain scientific tasks. The facility suggests Anthropic is widening its life sciences push beyond drug discovery, since a spokesperson said the lab is "not for drug discovery specifically."

   A spokesperson said the Bay Area lab is "not for drug discovery specifically," so its value hinges on whether Claude-driven workflows prove useful across other biology subfields.

3. 3

   SoftBank to acquire RAI from Hyundai

   SoftBank Group has agreed to acquire the Robotics and AI Institute from Hyundai Motor Group, sources said. The deal is under CFIUS review. The deal would bring the robotics research institute founded by the person who also founded Boston Dynamics back under SoftBank's umbrella. It also requires a U.S. national security review.

   CFIUS could block or delay the deal, and the status of the review is unclear. Attention is also on whether SoftBank can complete its $5.3 billion acquisition of ABB's robotics business.

4. 4

   Scaleout brings AI-driven learning to drones, military bases

   Scaleout is deploying decentralized AI-driven learning to military bases and drones, per Ars Technica. This points to small AI models on drones being able to autonomously identify and attack battlefield targets.

   Autonomy in target identification and attack hinges on how these small models perform outside controlled conditions.

5. 5

   Lessons from China, the humanoid robot superpower

   A Nikkei piece frames China as a "humanoid robot superpower" (ヒューマノイド大国) and asks what can be learned from it. The framing suggests China is seen as having built a strong position in humanoid robots, a field with wide industrial implications.

   The full argument sits behind Nikkei's paid newsletter sign-up, so the specific lessons are not laid out in what is publicly visible here.

6. 6

   Raleigh teams with Esri, others to build city digital twin

   Raleigh worked with Esri, NVIDIA, and Microsoft to build a digital twin of the city, creating 3D models from imagery captured by four drones and AI. According to city officials, the digital twin lets residents see — rather than just be told — how development and transportation decisions will affect them. Development and transportation rank among the top concerns in the city's resident survey every two years.

   The city is starting to incorporate IoT sensors, cameras, scooters, and vehicles into the twin for more precise monitoring. It is also working with companies on microclimate modeling of ventilation corridors.