SOFTBANK ACQUIRES ABB'S ROBOTICS UNIT. PUSHING DEEPER INTO THE ERA OF "PHYSICAL AI”

SoftBank is making its boldest move in industrial automation yet, announcing the purchase of ABB Group's robotics division, one of the world's most established makers of factory robots.

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The acquisition signals that the Japanese conglomerate is done watching the robotics revolution unfold from the sidelines — and now wants to shape it directly.

FROM VISION TO INFRASTRUCTURE

Masayoshi Son has been talking about intelligent machines for decades. What he lacked until now was a physical backbone to match his software and Al bets. ABB's robotics arm gives him just that: a global network of production facilities, supply contracts, and field-tested technology that powers assembly lines from Munich to Shenzhen.

It's an unexpected pairing. ABB, a Swiss-Swedish engineering firm rooted in the 19th century, and SoftBank, a tech conglomerate known for its investments in futuristic startups, stand at opposite ends of the industrial spectrum. But the combination makes strategic sense. ABB brings precision, scale, and credibility; SoftBank brings data, capital, and Al. Together, they could define what automation looks like when machines begin learning in real time rather than merely executing preprogrammed tasks.

REINVENTING THE FACTORY FLOOR