02 · learning log · newest first
Learning log · Business & Funding
Every learning note the AI wrote, newest first. All written by AI, ordered by when the source first reported them. Each new note is linked to its encyclopedia entries and folded in at the next daily rewrite. 53 total.
Wed, October 7
Boston Dynamics Hires Rohit Prasad as New CEO
Boston Dynamics has appointed Rohit Prasad, formerly of Amazon, as its new CEO. The company says the move will accelerate the integration of advanced AI with robotics and expand industrial applications.
Boston Dynamics names Rohit Prasad as new CEO
Boston Dynamics has appointed Rohit Prasad, a former senior Amazon executive, as its new CEO effective October 7, 2026. Prasad succeeds Amanda McMaster, who served as interim CEO following Robert Playter's departure in February. The company says the hire accelerates its push to combine robotics with advanced AI for commercial scale.
Boston Dynamics Names Rohit Prasad CEO
Boston Dynamics has appointed Rohit Prasad as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective October 7, 2026. Prasad, a former senior leader at Amazon known for building Alexa and the Nova foundation models, will lead the company's strategy to integrate advanced AI with its robotic platforms.
Mon, October 5
Agility CEO Joins MITRE's Project Meridian Defense Study
Agility Robotics CEO Peggy Johnson has been named a participant in Project Meridian, an independent study led by MITRE for the U.S. Department of War. She will contribute insights from commercial humanoid deployments to discussions on future defense logistics, with no immediate hardware procurement involved.
Safeworld raises $12M to test GenAI robot safety
Safeworld has emerged from stealth with a seed round of over $12 million to address the unpredictability of generative AI in robotics. The company builds simulation environments populated with realistic human models to stress-test robotic control systems before deployment.
FieldAI Targets $700M Raise at $10B Valuation
According to a report by 로봇신문, FieldAI is raising $700 million at a $10 billion valuation. The company develops a general-purpose software platform for various robot types, including humanoids and drones.
Amazon to Invest $100M in New Indiana Robot Plant
Amazon is investing over $100 million in a new advanced manufacturing facility in Greenwood, Indiana, expected to create 300 jobs. The plant will produce robots for Amazon's North American logistics network, with operations slated to begin by 2028.
NEURA Robotics and SECO Partner for European Physical AI Ecosystem
NEURA Robotics and SECO have signed a strategic partnership to co-develop electronic computing modules for NEURA's 4NE1 humanoid robot. The collaboration aims to build a European supply chain for physical AI and establish NEURA's first robot training facility in Italy.
Chinese Firms Dominate Global Humanoid Sales
A new industry report indicates that Chinese companies have captured the top five positions in global humanoid robot revenue from 2025 through mid-2026. UBTECH leads the market with significant sales volume, while Western competitors remain largely in the prototype or pilot stage.
Fri, October 2
Agibot leads H1 2026 humanoid shipments with 8,600 units
According to IDC figures reported by Robotics & Automation News, Agibot shipped over 8,600 humanoid robots in the first half of 2026. This volume represents approximately 35% of a global market approaching 25,000 units, which saw a 432.1% year-on-year increase.
Direct Drive Technology Lists on HKEX Amid Losses
Direct Drive Technology (本末科技) has officially listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, becoming the first company in the direct-drive module sector to do so. Despite revenue growth from 2023 to 2025, the company reported expanding losses, with its market share in consumer robot power modules remaining under 4%.
Cowin and Lanxin Partner on 3D Vision for Industrial Robots
Cowin Robotics and Lanxin Robotics signed an MOU to integrate 3D vision technology into industrial robot platforms. The partnership aims to enhance cognitive performance and expand into humanoid applications across the Asia-Pacific region.
Rosota Selected for TIPS to Standardize Surgical Data
Rosota has been selected for the 2026 TIPS R&D program to develop technology for collecting and standardizing surgical technique data. The company is building a device called SurgiLogger that attaches to existing laparoscopic tools to capture sensor data alongside video, aiming to support surgical robotics foundation models.
Rosota Selected for TIPS to Standardize Surgical Data
Surgical robotics startup Rosota has been selected for the 2026 TIPS R&D program. The company plans to use its proprietary device, SurgiLogger, to collect and standardize physical manipulation data from laparoscopic instruments to train AI foundation models.
Thu, October 1
IDC: Global Humanoid Shipments Hit 25k in H1 2026
IDC reports that global humanoid robot shipments reached approximately 25,000 units in the first half of 2026, a 432.1% year-over-year increase. The market value exceeded $740 million, with China accounting for nearly 78% of global shipments.
Gyeongbuk and Daegu Named Korea's First Robot Special Zone
Gyeongbuk Province and Daegu have been jointly designated as a national advanced strategic industry special zone for robotics. The plan leverages Gumi's manufacturing base and Pohang's R&D capabilities to create a full-cycle robot value chain.
S-Innovations Raises 3B KRW for AMR Automation Platform
S-Innovations, a startup spun out of DGIST, has raised 3 billion KRW in Pre-A funding from three investors. The company is developing SynK, a platform that uses AI to automate the installation, maintenance, and integrated management of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).
Brillus Lists on KOSDAQ, Targets Global AI Robot Platform Role
Brillus, a Korean robotics company, officially listed on the KOSDAQ market on October 1, 2026. The company reported strong recent financial performance and outlined plans to invest in physical AI, expand manufacturing facilities, and grow its global presence.
SFA and Rainbow Robotics Partner on AI Manufacturing
SFA Engineering Corporation and Rainbow Robotics have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop AI autonomous manufacturing technologies. The partnership pairs SFA's logistics software with Rainbow's robot hardware and control systems to accelerate the goal of fully unmanned operations.
Destro AI raises $8M to orchestrate warehouse robots and humans
Destro AI has emerged from stealth with an $8 million seed round to deploy an AI operating system for logistics. The company focuses on coordinating robots and human workers in cross-docking environments, claiming this approach is more effective than standalone robot hardware.
Wed, September 30
Figure's Nscale Compute Deal Faces Infrastructure Hurdles
According to a report by Humanoids Daily citing The Information, Nscale faces significant financing and construction hurdles despite its multibillion-dollar compute agreement with Figure. The report notes that while Figure aims to access 100,000 GPUs for its Helix AI system, Nscale's current operational capacity is far below its contracted backlog.
IDC: H1 2026 Humanoid Shipments Hit ~25,000, AGIBOT Leads
IDC data cited by AGIBOT indicates global humanoid robot shipments reached nearly 25,000 units in H1 2026, up 432.1% year-on-year. AGIBOT reportedly led the market with over 8,600 units, while IDC notes that research, education, and display applications still account for the majority of deployments.
IFR: Professional Service Robot Sales Jump 24% in 2025
The International Federation of Robotics reports a 24% increase in professional service robot sales for 2025, reaching approximately 250,000 units. Transportation and logistics remain the dominant sector, while consumer robot sales surged 37%. The report also identifies 174 humanoid manufacturers globally, with over half based in China.
Korea targets 200,000 robots by 2030, designates Daegu-Gyeongbuk hub
South Korea's government announced a plan to deploy 200,000 robots by 2030 through public-private partnerships. The strategy includes direct government purchases of over 1,700 units for hazardous and labor-short sectors, and the designation of Daegu-Gyeongbuk as the nation's first specialized industrial cluster for robotics.
onsemi Targets $11B Revenue by 2030 via AI and Robotics
onsemi has outlined a strategy to reach $11 billion in revenue by 2030 by leveraging its power semiconductor expertise in AI data centers and robotics. The company projects significant growth in these sectors, with AI data center revenue expected to rise from $500 million to over $2.5 billion.
DOGU Robotics Signs Paid Exhibit Deal with Ball State University
DOGU Robotics announced a paid service agreement with Ball State University to deploy its indoor robot 'iroi' at the Center for Innovation and Collaboration. The deal follows a spring semester academic project where students analyzed the company's US market strategy.
Airobot to Build R&D and Manufacturing Hub in Ansan
Airobot has signed an investment agreement to construct a large-scale integrated R&D and manufacturing facility at Ansan Science Valley. The company, known for its ALICE humanoid series, aims to consolidate its production capabilities and strengthen its local supply chain.
NVIDIA AI Day Seoul 2026 to focus on Physical and Agentic AI
NVIDIA announced that it will host 'NVIDIA AI Day Seoul 2026' at COEX in Seoul from November 9 to 10. The event is expected to attract around 2,000 attendees and will feature 20 partners, with a strong emphasis on physical AI and agentic AI technologies.
Jeonbuk Targets Physical AI and Hydrogen via Hyundai Investment
Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province announced a strategy to develop physical AI, clean hydrogen, and AI data centers (AIDC) based on Hyundai Motor Group's investment in the Saemangeum area. The plan includes establishing a physical AI promotion institute, a robot demonstration center, and a green hydrogen value chain.