SoftBank Group, the Japanese investment conglomerate, announced on Wednesday its acquisition of ABB Group's robotics business unit for $5.375 billion. The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approval, is projected by SoftBank to conclude in mid-to-late 2026, according to a press release from the company. ABB Group confirmed that Sami Atiya, the current head of the division, will depart following the acquisition's completion.
This acquisition aligns with SoftBank's declared strategic focus on "physical AI." Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank, stated in the company's press release, "SoftBank's next frontier is physical AI. Together with ABB Robotics, we will unite world-class technology and talent under our shared vision to fuse Artificial Super Intelligence and robotics — driving a groundbreaking evolution that will propel humanity forward."
ABB's robotics business unit, based in Zurich, Switzerland, employs approximately 7,000 individuals. It specializes in manufacturing robots and related equipment designed for industrial applications such as picking, cleaning, and painting. The unit reported $2.3 billion in revenue for 2024, accounting for 7% of ABB's total revenue. This figure represents a decline from $2.5 billion in the previous year. ABB had previously announced plans in April to spin off its robotics group as a separately listed company. SoftBank stated its intention to "reignite" sales for the acquired unit.
The deal further expands SoftBank's existing investments and holdings in the robotics sector. The company has previously invested in firms including AutoStore, Skild AI, and Agile Robots. In 2014, SoftBank also launched its dedicated robotics platform, SoftBank Robotics Group. Robotics constitutes one of SoftBank's four primary focus areas, alongside AI chips, AI data centers, and energy.
SoftBank Group's broader mission, as outlined in its press release, is to "realize artificial super intelligence (ASI) for the advancement of humanity," viewing this as the current phase of the "Information Revolution" following earlier stages driven by personal computers, the internet, and smartphones.
