Meta has obtained the humanoid robotics startup Assured Robot Intelligence (ARI) for an undisclosed amount, according to the social media behemoth.

“We have acquired Assured Robot Intelligence, a pioneering company focused on robotic intelligence that aims to empower robots to comprehend, forecast, and adapt to human actions in intricate and dynamic settings,” a Meta representative informed TechCrunch in a message.

The ARI team, inclusive of its co-founders, will integrate into Meta’s AI division, the Superintelligence Labs research sector. ARI secured an undisclosed seed funding from AI investment firm AIX Ventures.

The startup was developing foundational models for humanoid robots to carry out various physical tasks, including household duties. Co-founder Xiaolong Wang was formerly a researcher at Nvidia and an associate professor at UC San Diego, boasting an array of esteemed accolades. Co-founder Lerrel Pinto, who previously taught at NYU and co-founded the kid-sized humanoid venture Fauna Robotics before it was acquired by Amazon last month, has also received numerous prestigious honors.

ARI will support Meta’s humanoid objectives. “This team, led by Lerrel Pinto and Xiaolong Wang, will contribute significant expertise in how we can shape our models and advance capabilities for robot control and self-learning to whole-body humanoid functionality.”

Meta researchers have dedicated years to developing humanoid robotics technology. A leaked memo from the previous year outlined Meta’s goals to create such a robot, encompassing AI models and hardware targeted at consumers.

Even if Meta never introduces a consumer humanoid product, numerous AI specialists believe that the journey to artificial general intelligence (AGI) — the hypothetical stage at which AI achieves or exceeds human-level intelligence in all aspects — will necessitate training AI models in physical environments, where robots learn through direct interaction rather than solely through data.

The transactions involving ARI and Fauna illustrate a wider industry rush — one where projections vary significantly, from Goldman Sachs’ forecast of $38 billion by 2035 to Morgan Stanley’s estimation of $5 trillion by 2050 — a disparity that highlights both the vast possibilities and the unpredictability surrounding technology that is still establishing itself.