Toyota Motor Corporation (TM.US), the world's largest automotive manufacturer, has announced a collaboration with Boston Dynamics, a humanoid robot research company under Hyundai Motor, to jointly accelerate the development of humanoid robots based on artificial intelligence (AI) technology. This initiative signifies Toyota's move to follow in the footsteps of Tesla and emerging Chinese automakers into this cutting-edge technology field.
In a statement released on Wednesday, both parties indicated that they will integrate Toyota Research Institute's expertise in large-scale behavioral model learning with Boston Dynamics' humanoid robot Atlas, focusing on in-depth research in areas such as human-robot interaction. Toyota's Chief Scientist, Gill Pratt, noted that the collaboration in generative AI will provide significant potential for the future applications of humanoid robots.
"Embodied AI" refers to a technology that combines artificial intelligence with physical entities, aiming to make AI not limited to virtual environments, but capable of interacting with the real world through humanoid robots and sensors. The core of this technology lies in using physical devices to perceive and understand the world, enabling it to mimic human behavior in reality.
Toyota has made significant strides in the field of AI educational robots, while Boston Dynamics has achieved great success in commercial applications since being acquired by Hyundai in 2020. This partnership will focus on fundamental research with the goal of eventual commercialization, though executives from both companies have not disclosed specific timelines or budgets.
Aaron Saunders, Chief Technology Officer of Boston Dynamics, emphasized that the combination of Boston Dynamics' robot agility and Toyota's humanoid behavior technology is key to distinguishing their collaboration from other smart robot manufacturers. He highlighted that this partnership will provide new opportunities for technology companies in advancing humanoid robots.
With the recent releases of AI large models from companies like OpenAI and NVIDIA, the prospects for embodied AI applications are increasingly promising. NVIDIA's founder, Jensen Huang, remarked that the next wave of artificial intelligence will concentrate on the robotics sector, with embodied AI being one of the most exciting developments. His company is also committed to providing technical support to global humanoid robot developers to drive the advancement of next-generation robotics.
According to a forecast by Markets And Markets, the global humanoid robot market is expected to reach $2 billion in 2024 and rapidly grow to $13.25 billion by 2029, with a compound annual growth rate of over 45%. This potential market expansion is generating increasing interest from investors in the humanoid robotics sector, particularly regarding widespread applications in production and home life.
In summary, the collaboration between Toyota and Boston Dynamics not only marks the entry of automotive manufacturers into the realm of AI and robotics but also provides new momentum and direction for the development of the humanoid robotics industry.
