LONDON – Since the democratization of machine learning (ML) in robotics, ML-powered workloads have become highly diverse. As generative AI (GenAI) technology continues to proliferate, foundation models are poised to replace or augment existing ML and deep learning models, creating more capable and robust robots. Consequently, Omdia estimates the robotics AI chipset market to reach US$866 million globally, aiding the rise of GenAI in robotics.

Since Google demonstrated RT-1, a transformer for robotics applications, in 2022, multiple players have demonstrated substantial efforts to democratize the adoption of GenAI in robots. Apart from Google, companies like Meta, OpenAI, and Toyota are trialing or testing a myriad of foundation models in their robotics applications. Service robot vendors from China, such as CloudMinds and OrionStar, have developed their own foundation models with plans to integrate them with client software systems.

However, GenAI is resource intensive. In most industries, GenAI deployments occur in the cloud as the models need large graphics processing unit (GPU) clusters for training and inference. Conversely, robots favor local processing, often engaging in mission and business-critical applications that prioritize real-time control and ultra-low latency responses.

Another exciting development arising from the democratization of GenAI is the surge in the popularity of humanoid robots. As the type of robot closest to the human form factor, it is unsurprising that many technology roboticists believe integrating human-like GenAI and humanoid robots is harmonious. During this wave, companies such as Agility Robotics, Boston Dynamics, Figure, Fourier Intelligence, Tesla, and UBTech have unveiled various humanoid robots for the industrial and service sectors. However, the technology is still in its infancy and a large-scale rollout is unlikely in the next five years. Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) and Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) remain the more mature form factors for GenAI enablement.

Read the full press release here.

Omdia