Alphabet is bringing its own robotics unit Intrinsic back within Google’s walls. In doing so, the group is betting on helping build factories of the future.
Intrinsic has existed as an independent company since 2021 under Alphabet’s Other Bets branch, the incubator for long-term projects that do not fit with Google’s core business.
That status is now over. Intrinsic will now fall directly under Google as a separate entity. A takeover price was not disclosed. Nor an outline of how that contributes to its long-term vision.
The move does represent a strategic step forward for Intrinsic. It gets direct access to Gemini, Google Cloud and DeepMind. This will allow them to significantly accelerate their product development in the world of industrial automation.
Intrinsic does not sell physical robots, but the software that makes them usable. They help factories programme robots without having to spend a long time writing custom software.
What that means in practice is evident in a partnership with Foxconn. The Taiwanese electronics giant wants to fully automate its factories. Foxconn provides the hardware, manufacturing expertise and scale. Intrinsic provides its Flowstate and the AI observation model IVM. Together they are building what they call ‘intelligent factories’, where robots effortlessly adapt to changes in production processes.
Another example: when making computer and server cabinets, placing the cables is a complex job. Often manual work. A robot programmed with Intrinsic can see from the CAD drawings exactly where to lay which cable without causing damage.
The new full Google subsidiary is also working with Nvidia and with Siemens.
Competitors include companies such as Walking Bots and Sereact.
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