FANUC and Google Partner to Advance Physical AI in Robotics

FANUC has announced a strategic collaboration with Google to advance Physical AI in industrial robotics, according to a press release. The partnership aims to integrate Google's AI technologies into FANUC's automation systems to enhance cognitive and adaptive capabilities on factory floors.

FANUC stated that it will expand its open platforms and Physical AI capabilities across its robotics lineup, which includes models ranging from small 3 kg payload robots to large 2.3 ton units in the CRX collaborative series. The company said these systems will combine environmental perception, autonomous decision making, and task execution.

The robots support ROS, the open platform for robot control, through FANUC's open source ROS drivers and are compatible with Python for AI development. Google contributes to ROS development through its Intrinsic robotics AI group. These integrations are designed to allow manufacturers to deploy Physical AI systems more easily for flexible and adaptive automation.

FANUC reported that since its Physical AI system debut at the International Robot Exhibition in Tokyo last December, it has shipped over 1,000 robots for related applications. FANUC America described the collaboration with Google as a step toward enabling more complex and variable production environments while maintaining industrial reliability.