Physical AI refers to artificial intelligence systems that perceive, reason, and act in the physical world through sensors, actuators, and embodied control. Unlike purely digital AI, Physical AI connects software intelligence with real-world interaction, enabling robots, autonomous machines, and smart devices to move, manipulate objects, and respond to dynamic environments. This topic covers perception, motion planning, control systems, and learning-based behaviors used in robotics, autonomous vehicles, and industrial automation. It also explores simulation, digital twins, and real-world training methods that bridge the gap between virtual models and physical execution. As AI increasingly leaves the screen and enters the real world, Physical AI represents a critical foundation for scalable, intelligent machines operating outside controlled environments.
BMW has launched its Leipzig humanoid robot pilot with Hexagon’s Aeon platform targeting battery assembly and component manufacturing, while publishing detailed results from the Spartanburg deployment with Figure AI in which a Figure 02 robot supported production of 30,000 BMW X3 vehicles over ten months.
Amazon has unveiled a next-generation Proteus autonomous robot controllable by conversational text prompts, committing more than €10 billion to expand European fulfillment center robotics and adding 25,000 jobs, with Proteus deployment in Europe planned for the first half of 2027.
VinDynamics, the robotics arm of Vietnam’s Vingroup, has signed an MOU with Skild AI to integrate the Skild Brain foundation model into its humanoid robots, targeting real-world deployment across manufacturing, logistics, hospitality, and commercial services.
LG Group and NVIDIA have signed a broad strategic partnership covering physical AI and robotics, AI data center infrastructure, and autonomous vehicle systems, with Jensen Huang and LG Chairman Kwang Mo Koo meeting in Seoul to formalize the expanded cooperation.
PaXini Tech, a Chinese haptic technology and humanoid robotics company backed by BYD and JD.com, is considering a Hong Kong IPO and could submit a listing application in the coming months, following a Series B round that valued it at more than 10 billion yuan.
Australian startup Aquila has set two world records in laser power transfer – the highest power ever beamed by laser and the longest sustained delivery – by continuously powering a moving warehouse robot for 24 hours using 4 kWh of wirelessly transmitted energy.
ASUS has unveiled two AI-powered robots at Computex 2026 – the Kairo autonomous service robot for healthcare and commercial environments, and a next-generation companion robot for home elder care – both orchestrated by the company’s new Maestro AI platform.
KUKA has opened an immersive showroom at its Augsburg headquarters featuring two industrial robots moving a 65-inch display in synchronized choreography in front of a large-scale Samsung LED backdrop, combining robotics demonstration with commercial display technology.
Unitree Robotics passed its Shanghai STAR Market listing committee review on June 1, clearing the path to registration and issuance as it seeks to raise 4.2 billion yuan, with competitors Leju Robotics and Deep Robotics also advancing toward public listings.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has announced a dedicated robotics division tasked with developing hardware, controls, and machine learning for humanoid robots, starting with skilled labor on infrastructure projects and scaling toward a personal robot for everyone.