Amazon recently announced that it has hired the founders of Covariant—Pieter Abbeel, Peter Chen, and rocky Duan—along with about a quarter of the startup's employees. Additionally, amazon has secured a non-exclusive license to use Covariant’s robotic foundation models. Covariant is known for developing AI models for robots, particularly focusing on robotic arms for warehouse tasks such as bin picking.

Joseph Quinlivan, Amazon's Vice President of Fulfillment Technologies & Robotics, emphasized that integrating Covariant’s AI technology into Amazon's existing robot fleet will enhance performance and add value for customers. This move is seen as part of Amazon's broader strategy to incorporate advanced AI into its operations without fully acquiring startups, a tactic similar to its previous hiring of Adept's founders.

Covariant will continue to operate independently under new leadership, with Ted Stinson stepping in as CEO, and remains committed to expanding its AI solutions across various industries, including apparel, health and beauty, grocery, and pharmaceuticals. This approach is reflective of Amazon's ongoing strategy of acquiring talent and technology while navigating antitrust scrutiny.

  • Enhanced Efficiency: By embedding Covariant's AI models, amazon could significantly improve the efficiency and precision of its robotic systems, especially in complex tasks like bin picking and sorting. This could lead to faster order fulfillment and reduced operational costs.

  • AI-Driven Innovation: Covariant's expertise in building AI models tailored for robotics might enable amazon to innovate further, creating more adaptable and intelligent robots capable of handling a wider variety of tasks.
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Sindujaa D N

31/08/2024 11:13 PM