Over the past few weeks, a series of announcements from large technology companies and startups suggest that the race to build commercially viable humanoid robots is accelerating.
One of the clearest signals comes from Amazon. For the e-commerce giant, humanoids represent a natural next step beyond fixed automation as labor constraints persist across logistics operations. Already testing Digit robot in its warehouses, Amazon now appears to be broadening its robotics ambitions through the acquisitions of New York–based Fauna Robotics and Zurich-based RIVR. The latter, which develops stair-climbing delivery robots, points to a growing interest in last-mile and doorstep delivery—one of the most complex and costly segments of e-commerce logistics.
At the same time, Google is rapidly expanding its robotics ecosystem. Its AI arm, Google DeepMind, has signed a new partnership with Agile Robots—its third robotics hardware collaboration in just six months. This pace highlights a key industry shift: leading AI players are no longer content to build models alone; they are increasingly aligning with hardware partners to bring embodied AI into the physical world.
Meanwhile, Uber has committed $1.25 billion to invest in Rivian as part of a deal to deploy 10,000 fully autonomous R2 vehicles, marking a clear acceleration in its robotaxi ambitions.
Momentum is equally strong on the startup side. China-based Unitree Robotics is preparing for an IPO, underscoring both growing investor interest in the humanoid theme and the company’s ambition to scale globally. Unlike many robotics startups still operating in research mode, Unitree has already demonstrated its ability to commercialize, shipping thousands of robots and generating meaningful revenue. Its most significant advantage lies in pricing: Unitree’s humanoids are materially cheaper than those of Western peers, reflecting deep vertical integration and highly efficient supply chains.
At the same time, Physical Intelligence—which develops AI models for robotic systems—is reportedly in talks to raise around $1 billion at a valuation exceeding $11 billion, roughly double its valuation just six months ago.
Taken together, these developments point to two major trends. First, capital is rapidly consolidating around physical AI, with large funding rounds and IPO plans signaling growing confidence in robotics as the next frontier—especially as the outlook for digital AI/software becomes more uncertain. Second, large technology platforms are moving with increasing urgency, positioning themselves for a future in which robotics and automation reshape a wide range of physical processes.
The humanoid race is no longer theoretical—it is becoming a strategic priority across the technology landscape.
