Industrial robotics giant FANUC is partnering with Google to bring more advanced artificial intelligence to its factory robots, a move aimed at making automation more flexible and capable on the manufacturing floor.
The collaboration will combine FANUC’s industrial robots with Google’s latest AI technologies to accelerate what both companies call Physical AI, the integration of machine intelligence with real-world robotic action.
The announcement highlights how manufacturers are increasingly looking beyond traditional automation toward robots that can perceive their surroundings, make decisions, and adapt to changing conditions.
FANUC says its open software architecture is a key part of the effort. The company already supports Robot Operating System (ROS), the widely used robotics software framework, through open-source drivers. FANUC robots are also compatible with Python and other tools commonly used for AI development.
Google, through its Intrinsic robotics division, is a major contributor to the ROS ecosystem, making the two companies natural partners as physical AI becomes a bigger focus in industrial automation.
By combining FANUC’s hardware with Google’s AI systems, manufacturers could deploy robots that are better equipped to handle more variable and complex production tasks while maintaining the reliability required in industrial settings.
The partnership covers FANUC’s full robot lineup, from small robots with payload capacities as low as 3 kilograms to heavy-duty systems capable of handling up to 2.3 tons. It also includes the company’s CRX collaborative robots, which are designed to work safely alongside people.
Interest in FANUC’s physical AI offerings has been growing quickly. Since introducing its physical AI system at the International Robot Exhibition in Tokyo last December, the company says it has already shipped more than 1,000 robots for related applications.
Mike Cicco, President and CEO of FANUC America, said manufacturers are now focused on applying AI where it matters most.
“Manufacturers are moving beyond the question of whether to use AI and focusing on how to apply it on the factory floor,” Cicco said.
FANUC is one of the world’s largest suppliers of industrial robots and factory automation systems, with equipment used across automotive, electronics, metalworking, and countless other industries.
The new partnership with Google signals that artificial intelligence is becoming a central part of next-generation factory automation. Rather than performing only fixed, repetitive motions, future industrial robots are expected to become more adaptable and capable of handling a wider range of tasks.
Join the Discussion