Newsletter

Foxconn's humanoids now build AI servers

PLUS: Rivian's robotics venture, Apple's $133B forecast, and a humanoid for nuclear sites

Welcome back to your Robot Briefing

Foxconn just put humanoid robots to work on the factory floor in Texas, where they're assembling AI servers in what could be one of the first major production deployments of its kind.

If humanoids can handle high-value manufacturing at scale, does this finally prove they're ready for prime time — or is Foxconn just early to a trend that still needs years to mature?

In today's Robot update:

Foxconn deploys humanoids in Texas AI server plant

Rivian spins off Mind Robotics with $115M

Apple eyes $133B robotics revenue by 2040

Nuclear facility tests humanoid in hazmat zones

News

Foxconn's Robot Factory

Snapshot: Manufacturing giant Foxconn is deploying humanoid robots in its Texas plant to build AI servers, marking one of the first major real-world tests for humanoids in high-value production.

Breakdown:

This move is part of a larger pivot as Foxconn shifts investment away from slowing consumer tech markets in Vietnam and India to focus on booming AI demand in North America.

The company's "Stargate project" is expanding its AI server footprint across Texas, California, Wisconsin, Mexico, and soon Ohio, establishing a major North American hub .

Foxconn is positioning itself for a market surge, with forecasts predicting North America will account for nearly half of all AI server shipments by 2026.

Takeaway: This deployment moves humanoid robots from the lab into a critical, high-value assembly line. Foxconn's pivot highlights how the AI boom is actively reshaping global supply chains and manufacturing priorities.

News

Rivian Spins Off AI Brains

Snapshot: EV maker Rivian has launched Mind Robotics, its second spinoff this year, an industrial AI venture backed by $115M in seed funding to commercialize the automation and data systems developed for its own factory floors.

Breakdown:

The venture aims to give Rivian direct control over designing and developing the advanced AI robotics needed to operate its manufacturing plants more efficiently.

Mind Robotics will focus on creating a “robotics data flywheel,” using operational data from Rivian’s facilities to continuously train and improve its physical AI systems.

This move places Rivian in direct competition with other automakers monetizing factory AI, including Tesla's Optimus robot and GM's development of collaborative robots for manufacturing.

Takeaway: Automakers are increasingly transforming into technology companies, packaging their internal manufacturing innovations as commercial products. By spinning off its robotics unit, Rivian is betting it can sell its factory intelligence to a wider industrial market.

News

Apple's $133B Robot Bet

Snapshot: A Morgan Stanley report projects Apple could build a robotics business generating over $133 billion in annual revenue by 2040, positioning it to capture 9% of the household humanoid market.

Breakdown:

The projection positions Apple alongside other tech giants like Tesla and Amazon, who are also investing heavily in humanoid robots for logistics and manufacturing.

Apple's current efforts reportedly center on a tabletop robot with a display that can follow users, leveraging technology from its now-defunct car project .

Major hurdles remain, including perfecting computer vision and dexterity, and lowering the projected ~$30K average price to make household robots affordable for mainstream consumers.

Takeaway: Apple’s massive cash reserves and 2.3 billion-device ecosystem give it a unique advantage to enter and scale within the robotics market. This potential entry signals personal robotics may be shifting from a niche industrial tool to a major consumer technology frontier.

News

A Humanoid for Hazmat

Snapshot: Consulting firm Capgemini is testing an AI-powered humanoid robot named Hoxo inside a French nuclear facility. The pilot aims to see if Hoxo can effectively assist teams in high-risk industrial environments.

Breakdown:

Unlike many industrial robots designed for a single function, Hoxo is built to be highly polyfunctional , using its human-like form to perform a multitude of tasks in spaces designed for people.

The nuclear sector was chosen as the ideal testing ground because it combines a strong need for safety with repetitive operational tasks in hazardous areas where human access is limited.

The project moves beyond simple inspection duties performed by other robots like Spot, aiming for Hoxo to eventually handle pick-and-place operations and basic maintenance.

Takeaway: This pilot demonstrates a shift toward integrating robots into existing infrastructure, rather than redesigning facilities around them. A successful trial could pave the way for fleets of intelligent humanoids to operate in a wide range of dangerous industries.

🤖 Your robotics thought for today:
If robots could learn from your experience, what's the one thing you'd most want to teach them?

Tell me – what do you think?

Until tomorrow,
Ulrich