Meta, the social media giant, has shifted its focus dramatically in recent years, exploring phones, crypto, the metaverse, and smart glasses. Now, the company is reportedly investing heavily in the development of AI-powered humanoid robots designed for household chores, according to Bloomberg.
This pivot isn’t entirely unexpected. In 2021, Meta showcased its DIGIT technology, a vision-based tactile sensor system for robotic fingers. DIGIT allows robots to identify objects they are grasping and simulate the sense of touch. Meta also collaborated with Carnegie Mellon researchers to create ReSkin, a cost-effective and replaceable touch-sensing skin for robots, mimicking the sensitivity of human skin.
DIGIT sensors mounted on a robot hand manipulating glass marbles.
Unlike Elon Musk’s Optimus robot, which remains largely conceptual, Meta’s ambition extends beyond simply selling robots for household tasks. CEO Mark Zuckerberg reportedly aims to establish Meta within the industrial supply chain itself. The company is developing a comprehensive technology stack, including computer vision software, sensor assemblies, and computing modules, with the intention of selling these components to other companies. Essentially, Meta aims to provide the foundational elements for building humanoid robots.
This strategy integrates Meta’s existing work in AI, augmented and mixed reality (AR/MR), and hardware sensing. The company is also expected to leverage its Llama AI models as a platform for robotics. A key differentiator from companies like Boston Dynamics is Meta’s focus on robots for home assistance rather than industrial applications.
Public reception to this venture remains uncertain, given Meta’s history with user privacy. The company seems aware of these concerns, as reports suggest they don’t initially plan to release a Meta-branded robot, though this remains a future possibility.
To lead this robotics initiative, Meta has reportedly recruited the former head of General Motors’ self-driving technology division. The company is also said to be in discussions with Unitree Robotics and Figure AI. This project will reportedly fall under Meta’s Reality Labs division, which is also developing the Orion smart glasses, a mixed reality software ecosystem, and various sensor tracking hardware.
