Alphabet-owned Intrinsic will join Google, as the tech giant looks to move further into the realm of physical AI.
The companies revealed on Feb. 25 that Google will fold Intrinsic’s robotics software platform — built to simplify how developers design, build and operate industrial robots — into its AI and cloud ecosystem.
Under the arrangement, Intrinsic will remain a distinct group within Google but will work closely with Google DeepMind and use Google’s Gemini AI models and cloud infrastructure.
“Working closely with Google … we can accelerate the rate of AI going from research to real-world production, in accessible and practical ways,” Intrinsic said in a release.
Intrinsic CEO Wendy Tan White said in the release that the collaboration will “fundamentally shift production” to advanced manufacturing and make intelligent robotics more widely accessible.”
“The Intrinsic team has been working for years to enable access to intelligent robotics through a democratized platform, so more people can build and benefit from robotics applications,” she said. “Combined with Google’s … AI and infrastructure, we’re going to unlock the promise of physical AI for a much broader set of manufacturing businesses and developers.”
The development comes as Google looks to move more actively into physical AI, generally defined as applications that integrate advanced AI capabilities into machines to enable greater autonomy and more human-like perception.
The sector is poised to be the next step in the development of AI across manufacturing industries, with other major players such as Nvidia and Qualcomm looking to build out their physical AI offerings.
“At Google, we see the immense opportunity in bridging the gap between the digital and physical world,” said Hiroshi Lockheimer, Chief Product Officer of Other Bets, another Alphabet unit, which works on the autonomous driving project, Waymo, and other products. “We’re excited to welcome the Intrinsic team to Google, so we can bring breakthrough AI to more businesses and industries, at scale.”
Intrinsic was established as an independent company in 2021 as part of the Other Bets portfolio, after several years of internal development. The unit was created with the aim of supporting physical AI’s applications in manufacturing.
The company’s first product, Flowstate, launched in 2023 as a platform enabling users without deep robotics expertise to build and manage robotic workflows.
