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Meta has acquired Assured Robot Intelligence (ARI), a startup focused on developing artificial intelligence models for general-purpose, humanoid robots. The deal was announced by ARI co-founder Xiaolong Wang in a post on X on May 1.
Wang said ARI has joined Meta to help build “the future of humanoid intelligence.” Meta Chief AI Officer Alexandr Wang reposted the message and added: “Welcome ARI to MSL (Meta Superintelligence Labs)! Excited to build physical with Pinto and Wang and the whole team.”
Wang’s post linked to a Bloomberg report stating that ARI is developing technology intended to help robots understand human behavior in dynamic environments. The report also said Meta plans to use ARI’s technology alongside its own software and hardware for robots.
In a separate LinkedIn post, Wang said ARI was launched one year ago with the goal of achieving physical artificial general intelligence (AGI). He argued that progress in this area requires a general-purpose physical agent, and that the company believes the agent will be humanoid. Wang added that scaling should come from learning directly from human experience rather than relying on teleoperation alone.
Wang said Meta’s ecosystem brings together the components needed to pursue that vision, and that ARI will join Meta Superintelligence Labs (MSL) as part of efforts to bring “personal superintelligence” into the physical world.
Earlier reporting cited Meta’s broader plans for AI-powered humanoid robots. In February 2025, it was reported that Meta aimed to develop humanoid robots and work on its own humanoid hardware, while also focusing on AI, sensors, and software that other companies could use to build and sell robots.
Meta has also introduced tools intended to help train robots and other AI agents. Last June, Meta unveiled a model designed to help agents understand the physical world and predict how they will respond to their actions.
In November, PYMNTS reported that “physical AI” is emerging as the next stage of robotics, driven by advances in sensing, perception, and large AI models that enable capabilities beyond traditional automation.
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