After Chatbots, Embodied AI (Robots, Vehicles, Devices, Machines)

Right now, the typical casual observer might tend to think of generative artificial intelligence as an AI chatbot or AI assistant. But physically-embodied  AI is going to be a big part of  next wave of growth for generative AI

Artificial intelligence increasingly is going to be “embodied” in devices and machines such as vehicles and robots, illustrating the way AI now is reshaping older markets such as the “internet of things.” Researchers at Goldman Sachs, for example, have estimated that the market for humanoid robots could reach $38 billion by 2035. 

Within industrial robotics, different form factors address different workloads. Robotic arms are used for tasks such as picking, packaging, material handling and assembly.

Mobile robots typically run on wheels and are commonly used for moving inventory from one place to another inside industrial facilities.

And then we are also seeing a rise in humanoid robots, which more closely resemble the structure of human bodies, enabling them to complete tasks and move around just like us.

Among the firms looking to lead in this market are Tesla, Boston Dynamics, Figure AI, Apptronik and Agility Robotics. And then there are all the other firms that will try to create leading roles in support and management, such as AWS. 

Amazon got into robotics in 2012 when it created the ‘Amazon Robotics’ arm by acquiring a company called Kiva Systems, which specialized in warehouse technology. Between 2021 and 2024, Amazon expanded the number of robots deployed in its own operations from 350,000 to 750,000. 

The point is that AI, IoT, robotics, autonomous vehicles and embodied AI are starting to overlap. Looking only at the “Magnificent seven” firms, for example, embodied AI is enmeshed with firm earnings. 

source: Seeking Alpha

Company	Robotics	Autonomous Vehicles	Generative AI	Language Models	AI as a Service	Smartphone Apps
Apple	Yes, acquisition of Robotics firm	Yes, investment in AV startup, Voyage	Yes, Core ML	Yes, Siri	No	Yes, Core ML apps
Amazon	Yes, acquisition of Kiva Systems, Robotics firm	Yes, investment in AV startup, Aurora	Yes, SageMaker	Yes, Alexa	Yes, SageMaker	Yes, Alexa apps
Alphabet	Yes, Boston Dynamics, Robotics firm	Yes, Waymo, AV subsidiary	Yes, Google AI	Yes, Google Assistant	Yes, Google Cloud AI	Yes, Google Assistant apps
Facebook	No	Yes, investment in AV startup, Cruise	Yes, FAIR	Yes, Portal	Yes, Facebook AI	Yes, Portal apps
Microsoft	Yes, Azure Machine Learning	Yes, investment in AV startup, Cruise	Yes, Azure Machine Learning	Yes, Bing	Yes, Azure Machine Learning	Yes, Bing  apps
NVIDIA	Yes, Isaac, Robotics platform	Yes, Drive, AV platform	Yes, Deep Learning	No	Yes, NVIDIA AI	Yes, Deep Learning apps
Tesla	Yes, Autopilot, Robotics platform	Yes, Full Self-Driving	Yes, Autopilot AI	No	No	Yes, Autopilot apps

So embodied AI (robots, vehicles, machines, devices) are going to be important AI products, beyond today’s AI assistants or chatbots.