Meta has acquired Assured Robot Intelligence (ARI), a startup specializing in humanoid robotics, for an undisclosed amount, the company confirmed on Friday.
"We acquired Assured Robot Intelligence, a company at the frontier of robotic intelligence designed to enable robots to understand, predict, and adapt to human behaviors in complex and dynamic environments," a Meta spokesperson said in a statement.
ARI's team, including co-founders Xiaolong Wang and Lerrel Pinto, will join Meta's AI research division, Superintelligence Labs. The startup had previously raised a seed round from AIX Ventures.
ARI focuses on building foundation models for humanoid robots capable of performing various physical tasks, such as household chores. Wang, a former Nvidia researcher and UC San Diego associate professor, brings a wealth of expertise in robot control and self-learning. Pinto, previously an NYU professor and co-founder of Fauna Robotics—which was acquired by Amazon last month—adds further depth to Meta's humanoid ambitions.
"This team will bring a deep expertise in how we can design our models and frontier capabilities for robot control and self-learning to whole-body humanoid control," Meta noted.
The acquisition aligns with Meta's long-standing interest in humanoid robotics. A leaked internal memo from last year revealed plans to develop both AI models and hardware for consumer-oriented humanoid robots. With ARI's technology, Meta aims to accelerate progress toward creating intelligent robots that can seamlessly interact with humans in dynamic environments.