Recently, Amazon announced a significant strategic move by acquiring a non-exclusive license from the robotics startup Covariant and bringing about a quarter of its employees under its wing.
The crux of this deal lies in Amazon's hope to enhance its innovation capabilities in the automation field by leveraging Covariant's foundational robot models. The founding team of Covariant, including Pieter Abbeel, Peter Chen, and Rocky Duan, will join Amazon's AI and robotics team in Silicon Valley.
Note: Image from Covariant's official video.
Amazon currently deploys up to 750,000 robots in its logistics centers, and this acquisition aims to further enhance the safety and adaptability of these robots. Amazon stated that through collaboration with Covariant, it expects to accelerate innovation in automation and attract more top AI talent.
Although Covariant will transfer some talent to Amazon, it will continue to support its existing clients and develop its warehouse automation technology. However, the departure of the entire founding team gives the impression that this acquisition is almost a complete takeover, although the specific financial details have not been disclosed. It is reported that Covariant was valued at $625 million in its last funding round in April 2023.
Not only Amazon, but other tech giants like Apple, OpenAI, and Google DeepMind are also increasing their investments in robotics and AI. For example, Apple is developing a desktop device equipped with a mechanical arm and a large display, expected to be launched in 2026 or 2027. This device aims to simplify daily tasks, such as adjusting the screen angle during video calls or browsing recipes. Meanwhile, OpenAI has partnered with robotics company Figure to introduce the latest humanoid robot, Figure02, with plans to promote humanoid robots in workplaces and homes. Google DeepMind is continuously developing robots and their control models capable of handling complex environments, demonstrating the ability to navigate new environments effortlessly.
These tech companies' expectations of combining robots with large language models are to enhance efficiency and open up new application scenarios, especially in industries and daily life. Whether this integration will effectively operate in practical applications remains to be seen.
Key Points:
🌟 Amazon acquires Covariant, taking over the founding team and some employees, enhancing robot safety and adaptability.
🤖 Covariant will continue to serve existing clients and develop warehouse automation technology.
🚀 Other industry giants are also strengthening investments in robotics and AI, exploring new application scenarios.