SoftBank bulks up its robotics portfolio with ABB Group’s robotics unit in a $5.3B push into physical AI.
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SoftBank Expands With ABB Robotics Deal SoftBank Bulks Up Its Robotics Portfolio With ABB Group’s Robotics Unit Japanese tech and investment giant SoftBank Group is making a bold move in the robotics space. The company announced that it will acquire ABB Group’s robotics unit in a deal valued at $5.375 billion , signaling a strong commitment to what it calls the “physical AI” frontier. Image Credits:Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg / Getty Images The acquisition of ABB Group’s robotics unit marks one of SoftBank’s largest steps yet toward integrating artificial intelligence with physical automation. Pending regulatory approval, the deal is expected to close between mid and late 2026 , according to the company’s announcement. Inside The ABB Robotics Acquisition ABB’s robotics division, based in Zurich, Switzerland, employs around 7,000 people and generated $2.3 billion in revenue in 2024 , accounting for 7% of ABB’s overall revenue. The company manufactures a range of industrial robots and automation tools used for painting, cleaning, and p…
