SoftBank buys ABB's robotics division for about $5.4 billion

On October 8, Japanese telecommunications giant SoftBank said it would acquire the robotics business of ABB, a Swiss-Swedish multinational corporation, for about $5.4 billion.

Specifically, SoftBank will acquire 100% of ABB's robotics division through a newly established company pending regulatory approval in the European Union (EU), the US and China. The transaction is expected to be completed in the second half of 2026.

The move shows the ambitions of SoftBank founder and billionaire Masayoshi Son for artificial intelligence (AI), who describes the next technological frontier as “physical AI,” or AI for autonomous machines that can perceive, interpret, and operate in the real world .

According to the Japanese billionaire, with ABB Robotics, the group will unite world-class technology and talent under a shared vision of combining superior AI and robotics to drive breakthrough evolution that moves humanity forward.

ABB Robotics, a company that develops and manufactures industrial robots used in automotive and electronics factories.

The company currently has about 7,000 employees; revenue in 2024 will reach 2.3 billion USD, accounting for about 7% of ABB Group's total revenue.

The Japanese conglomerate said the acquisition would expand its global robotics portfolio, which already includes SoftBank Robotics Group, warehouse automation company Berkshire Grey, Norwegian storage robot company AutoStore and others.

SoftBank said it wants to “reboot” growth in ABB’s robotics business through investments in cutting-edge technologies such as AI.

SoftBank is positioning robotics as a core growth pillar. The group has set up an intermediary holding company called Robo Holdings to consolidate its robotics-related investments, bringing together 20 subsidiaries in its robotics-related portfolio.

By adding ABB's robotics business to this framework, SoftBank aims to take the lead in developing AI and robotics technology.

SoftBank also plans to build a network of automated industrial complexes in the US, with AI-powered industrial robots integrated directly into factory production lines.

The group has pledged to invest at least $100 billion in US President Donald Trump's Stargate project to build AI infrastructure in the US./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/softbank-mua-lai-bo-phan-robot-cua-abb-voi-gia-khoang-54-ty-usd-post1068983.vnp