SoftBank to Invest $500M in AI Robotics Startup Skild AI

SoftBank is in talks to invest $500 million in Skild AI, a robotics software company valued at $4 billion, according to Bloomberg and the Financial Times.

Skild AI, founded two years ago, secured $300 million last July at a $1.5 billion valuation. Investors included Jeff Bezos, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and Coatue Management.

Founders Deepak Pathak and Abhinav Gupta told TechCrunch that their AI model adapts to various robots. They emphasized its flexibility, allowing customization for specific domains and use cases.

Investor interest in AI-driven robotics has surged. Over the past year, major backers like Bezos have significantly increased funding in this space.

Physical Intelligence, a robotics startup, raised $400 million last November at a $2 billion pre-money valuation. The company claims to be developing AI “brains” for a wide range of robots. Jeff Bezos, Lux Capital, and Thrive Capital led the funding round.

Meanwhile, Figure AI, which focuses on AI-powered humanoid robots, secured $675 million last February. The round, valuing the company at $2.6 billion, included investments from Microsoft, the OpenAI Startup Fund, Nvidia, the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund, and Jeff Bezos through Bezos Expeditions.