Google will integrate its Gemini artificial intelligence models into humanoid robots, as the company steps up its investment in AI.
Its Gemini Robotics AI models will be used to power robots built by Apptronik. These models will be adaptable for a number of different purposes, Google DeepMind said.
“At Google DeepMind, we've been making progress in how our Gemini models solve complex problems through multimodal reasoning across text, images, audio and video. So far however, those abilities have been largely confined to the digital realm,” said Google DeepMind’s head of robotics Carolina Parada.
"In order for AI to be useful and helpful to people in the physical realm, they have to demonstrate “embodied” reasoning — the humanlike ability to comprehend and react to the world around us— as well as safely take action to get things done.”
The Gemini Robotics AI models are powered by Google’s Gemini 2.0. First unveiled in December, Gemini 2.0 includes image and audio generation, as well as agentic capabilities to perform online tasks.
The base Gemini Robotics models will include physical action commands alongside Gemini 2.0’s functions. Gemini Robotics-ER, an advanced model, will feature “advanced spatial understanding”.
These models will be available for testing by robotics companies like Agile Robots and Boston Dynamics, as well as Apptronik.
Google backed Apptronik in a US$350 million funding round last month. The robotics developer has previously partnered with NASA to construct the Valkyrie robot, which will support astronauts in future space missions.
Gemini 2.0 can now be connected to users’ Google search history to personalise the model’s suggestions, Google said today.
Google also launched its Gemma 3 AI models this week, intended as a “portable” version of Gemini 2.0 that can run at a fast speed on a variety of devices. Gemma 3 can analyse images, text, and short videos, the company said.
Google parent company Alphabet’s (NASDAQ: GOOG) share price closed at US$164.73, down from its previous close at $169.00. Its market capitalisation is $2 trillion.
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