Core Insights - The development of AI progresses from specialization to generalization, eventually entering valuable niche scenarios based on general capabilities [1] - Skild AI aims to create a universal robotic brain, Skild Brain, that can adapt to any hardware form and perform various tasks, moving beyond the limitations of previous generations of robots [6][4] Funding and Valuation - Skild AI secured $300 million in Series A funding in 2024 and recently completed a $1.4 billion Series B funding round, led by SoftBank, with a valuation exceeding $14 billion [3] Founders and Team - The founders, Deepak Pathak and Abhinav Gupta, have over 110,000 paper citations and have led significant breakthroughs in robotics over the past decade [4] - The team comprises experts from leading tech companies and universities, enhancing its capabilities in embodied intelligence [4] Technological Advancements - Skild Brain is designed to control various types of robots without prior knowledge of their physical forms, enabling it to handle tasks ranging from simple household chores to complex physical challenges [6] - The architecture of Skild Brain includes a layered structure for operation and navigation strategies, allowing seamless transitions between different tasks [8] Learning and Adaptation - Skild Brain utilizes end-to-end motion control driven by online visual and proprioceptive feedback, enabling real-time adaptation to new environments [9][11] - The model incorporates context learning, allowing robots to learn from failures and adapt to unfamiliar situations, enhancing their versatility [12][15] Data Infrastructure - Skild has built a robust data infrastructure that allows Skild Brain to learn from various sources, including large-scale simulations and real-world deployments [16][17] - The company has achieved significant revenue growth, reaching $30 million in a few months through deployments in security, construction, and warehousing [19] Future Outlook - The company aims to bridge the generalization gap in physical AI, potentially leading to exponential value creation as it matures and expands its applications [20]

Core Insights - Skild AI, a startup in the foundational model for robotics, has raised approximately $1.4 billion in Series C funding, achieving a valuation exceeding $14 billion, setting a record in the field [1][5] - The investment round was led by SoftBank Group, with participation from major tech giants like Nvidia, Samsung, LG, Jeff Bezos' family office, and Salesforce, forming a diverse investment alliance across various sectors [5][12] Group 1: Company Background - Skild AI was co-founded by Deepak Pathak and Abhinav Gupta, both professors at Carnegie Mellon University, who previously worked at Meta's advanced robotics lab, providing a unique blend of academic and industry experience [5][7] - The company aims to address the challenges in robotics by creating a universal robotic brain, Skild Brain, capable of running on standard hardware and performing basic tasks like climbing stairs and avoiding obstacles [7][8] Group 2: Technological Innovations - Skild Brain represents a paradigm shift in robotics, utilizing large-scale multimodal data for end-to-end training, moving away from fixed instruction sets [9][11] - The system's architecture decouples hardware from intelligence, allowing it to adapt to various robotic platforms and maintain robust performance even in changing environments [11][19] Group 3: Investment Dynamics - The diverse group of investors reflects strategic interests, with Nvidia aiming to fill gaps in its robotics technology stack, while SoftBank seeks to enhance its influence in the robotics industry [12][14] - For Samsung and LG, this investment signifies a strategic pivot towards robotics as a key growth area amid slowing consumer electronics [14] Group 4: Commercialization and Market Potential - Skild AI's commercialization efforts are accelerating, with plans to serve over eight enterprise clients by the end of 2025, spanning sectors like security, construction, and logistics [15][18] - The company addresses a significant market demand, particularly in industries facing labor shortages, where traditional robotic systems struggle due to high customization costs [15][22] Group 5: Challenges Ahead - Despite promising prospects, Skild AI faces challenges in ensuring the reliability of its technology in complex real-world environments, as well as balancing model performance with cost [19][21] - The fragmented state of the robotics hardware market poses additional challenges for achieving true universality in robotic applications [21][22]

1月15日，美国机器人初创公司 Skild AI 宣布完成约 14亿 美元（约合人民币97.6亿元）的C轮融资，估 值升至超 140亿 美元（约合人民币976.3亿元），达到7个月前的3倍。 本轮融资 由软银领投 ， 英伟达、Macquarie、1789 Capital、贝索斯家族办公室Bezos Expeditions跟 投，三星、LG、Salesforce 等公司也参与其中。 Skild AI联合创始人兼CEO Deepak Pathak称，资金将用于Skild Brain软件的推广、训练优化与机器人部 署扩展。 Skild AI自 2023年5月 成立以来，已累计融资 约20亿 美元（约合人民币139.4亿元），正试图打造"通用 机器人大脑"，推动机器人像人类一样通过观看视频和实践学习完成任务。 从Meta走出的创业团队，想做任何机器人都能用的"通用大脑" Skild AI由Deepak Pathak与Abhinav Gupta共同创立， 二人早年曾在Meta机器人实验室共事 ，后分别在 卡内基梅隆大学机器人研究所担任教授。 Skild AI团队打造的Skild Brain 以大规模人类视频与模拟练习为 ...

智东西1月15日消息，今日，美国机器人初创公司Skild AI宣布完成约14亿美元（约合人民币97.6亿元）的C轮融资，估值升至超140亿美元 （约合人民币976.3亿元），达到7个月前的3倍。 本轮融资由软银领投，英伟达、Macquarie、1789 Capital、贝索斯家族办公室Bezos Expeditions跟投，三星、LG、Salesforce等公司也参与其 中。 Skild AI联合创始人兼CEO Deepak Pathak称，资金将用于Skild Brain软件的推广、训练优化与机器人部署扩展。 Skild AI自2023年5月成立以来，已累计融资约20亿美元（约合人民币139.4亿元），正试图打造"通用机器人大脑"，推动机器人像人类一样通 过观看视频和实践学习完成任务。 01. 从Meta走出的创业团队 想做任何机器人都能用的"通用大脑" Skild AI由Deepak Pathak与Abhinav Gupta共同创立，二人早年曾在Meta机器人实验室共事，后分别在卡内基梅隆大学机器人研究所担任教授。 ▲Skild AI联合创始人兼CEO Deepak Pathak（左）与联合创始人兼总裁A ...

Core Insights - Skild AI is in talks for a new funding round exceeding $1 billion, which could nearly double its valuation to $14 billion from $4.7 billion during its last funding round in June 2023 [1][2] - The U.S. government, under the Trump administration, is actively promoting the robotics industry, with plans for an executive order on robotics next year [2][7] Group 1: Investment and Valuation - SoftBank and NVIDIA are negotiating to invest in Skild AI, which has shown impressive technology in pilot projects [2][3] - Skild AI raised $500 million in its B round of funding, led by SoftBank, with participation from NVIDIA and others, achieving a valuation of $4.7 billion [2][3] - The robotics investment landscape is rapidly growing, with projections indicating that funding in the sector could reach $2.3 billion by 2025, doubling from the previous year [3] Group 2: Company Overview - Skild AI, founded in 2023 by former Meta AI researchers, focuses on developing AI models for various types of robots rather than manufacturing hardware [4][5] - The company released its first general AI model in July 2023, capable of adapting to a wide range of tasks from logistics to household chores [5] - Skild AI collaborates with NVIDIA to develop a foundational model called Skild Brain, which can be trained with minimal additional input to acquire new skills [5] Group 3: Government Initiatives and Industry Trends - The U.S. Department of Commerce is committed to advancing robotics and advanced manufacturing, emphasizing their importance in bringing critical production back to the U.S. [7] - There is a growing interest in robotics within the U.S. Congress, with proposals for establishing a national robotics committee [7] - The global humanoid robot market is projected to reach $38 billion by 2035, highlighting the increasing demand for robotic solutions [3]

Core Insights - The article discusses a significant investment opportunity in the robotics sector, particularly focusing on Skild AI, which is in talks for a funding round exceeding $1 billion, potentially raising its valuation to $14 billion, nearly double its previous valuation of $4.7 billion during its last funding round [1][3][6]. Investment and Valuation - Skild AI, founded in 2023, aims to develop a universal software "brain" for robots, overcoming deployment barriers in various environments [7]. - The company raised $500 million in its B round of funding in June 2023, with SoftBank leading the investment [3][6]. - If the new funding round is successful, Skild AI's valuation will increase significantly, reflecting investor interest in humanoid robotics as AI advancements enable more complex tasks [3][6]. Government Support and Industry Trends - The U.S. government, under the Trump administration, is reportedly pushing for the development of the robotics industry, with plans for an executive order on robotics next year [4][10]. - The U.S. Commerce Department has confirmed its commitment to the robotics sector, emphasizing its importance for bringing critical manufacturing back to the U.S. [10]. - There is a growing interest in establishing a national robotics strategy to support the emerging industry and maintain competitiveness against countries like China, which has significantly more industrial robots [10][11]. Market Potential and Future Outlook - Investment demand in the robotics sector is surging, with projections indicating that funding could reach $2.3 billion by 2025, doubling from the previous year [6]. - Goldman Sachs estimates that the global humanoid robotics market could reach $38 billion by 2035 [6]. - Experts caution that achieving truly universal robotic applications remains technically challenging and may take years for widespread implementation [9].

Group 1 - SoftBank Group and NVIDIA are negotiating to lead a funding round of over $1 billion for Skild AI, valuing the company at approximately $14 billion [1] - Skild AI, founded nearly three years ago, had a previous valuation of $4.7 billion after raising $500 million in May, led by SoftBank with participation from LG Technology Ventures, Samsung, and NVIDIA [3] - Skild AI focuses on developing a robot-agnostic foundational model that can be customized for different types of robots and applications, rather than creating proprietary hardware [3] Group 2 - Skild AI released its universal robot model "Skild Brain" in July, showcasing capabilities such as picking up utensils and navigating stairs [3] - The interest in AI robotics is increasing, with another company, Physical Intelligence, recently completing a $600 million funding round, valuing it at $5.6 billion [4] - In September, humanoid robot company Figure completed a funding round exceeding $1 billion, achieving a valuation of $39 billion [4]

Investment Overview - SoftBank Group and Nvidia are negotiating to lead an investment exceeding $1 billion in Skild AI, valuing the company at $14 billion [1] - Skild AI was previously valued at $4.7 billion in May after raising $500 million, with participation from SoftBank, LG Technology Ventures, Samsung, and Nvidia [2] Company Profile - Skild AI is a nearly three-year-old startup focused on developing a robot-agnostic foundational model rather than proprietary hardware [3] - The company introduced its general-purpose robot model, Skild Brain, in July, showcasing capabilities such as picking up dishes and navigating stairs [3] - Strategic partnerships have been established with LG CNS and Hewlett Packard Enterprise to enhance its ecosystem [3] Industry Trends - There is a growing investor interest in AI robotics, as evidenced by Physical Intelligence raising $600 million at a $5.6 billion valuation [4] - Figure, a humanoid robot developer, recently raised over $1 billion at a valuation of $39 billion, indicating strong market potential [5] - Another humanoid robot developer, 1X, was reported to be in discussions to secure up to $1 billion at a $10 billion valuation [5]

SoftBank Group and Nvidia are reportedly in talks to participate in a more than $1 billion funding round for Skild AI, a maker of foundation models for robots.By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions .Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.The rou ...

Core Insights - The article discusses the rise of Physical Intelligence (PI), a startup in the field of embodied intelligence, which has achieved a valuation of approximately 56 billion yuan (around 8 billion USD) after raising 600 million USD in its latest funding round [2] - PI's approach emphasizes a "software-first" strategy, aiming to create a universal robotic brain that can control various robot bodies without being hardware-dependent [5][6] - The competition in the global "universal robotic brain" arena is intensifying, with both international players like PI and domestic innovators like Qianjue Technology emerging rapidly [9] Funding and Valuation - PI's latest funding round was led by CapitalG, with participation from existing investors such as Lux Capital, Thrive Capital, and Jeff Bezos, as well as new investors like Index Ventures and T. Rowe Price [2] - The company's valuation surged from 2 billion USD to 5.6 billion USD in a short period, making it the highest-valued player in the universal robotic brain sector [2] - The funding history of PI includes a seed round of 70 million USD in March 2024 and an angel round of 400 million USD in November 2024 [11] Team and Expertise - PI has assembled a high-profile team, including CEO Karol Hausman from Google DeepMind and co-founder Sergey Levine, a leading academic in reinforcement learning [4] - The team comprises top talents from institutions like Google, Tesla, and Stanford, creating a strong research and development matrix that integrates academia and industry [4] Technological Advancements - PI aims to overcome the technical bottleneck of creating truly universal robots that can adapt to diverse scenarios and make autonomous decisions [5] - The newly released robotic foundation model π*0.6 significantly enhances the robot's generalization ability in complex tasks, showcasing impressive performance in real-world applications [6][8] - The model's capabilities include making espresso, folding clothes, and assembling industrial boxes with a success rate exceeding 90% [8] Competitive Landscape - The competition between PI and Skild AI highlights two distinct approaches: PI focuses on real-world training, while Skild AI emphasizes large-scale simulation environments [17][18] - Skild AI has also seen rapid valuation growth, reaching approximately 45 billion yuan (around 6.3 billion USD) within a year [13] - Both companies are vying to establish themselves as leaders in the robotic brain sector, with differing strategies for commercialization and technological development [21][34] Domestic Innovations - Qianjue Technology, similar to PI, is focused on developing a universal robotic brain and has formed partnerships with various hardware manufacturers [22] - The company aims to create a clear commercialization path by initially targeting household robots and gradually expanding into service and industrial applications [22] - The competition among domestic players like Qianjue Technology and international firms like PI reflects a broader trend in the robotics industry towards developing versatile and capable robotic systems [24]