The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence—particularly Large Language Models (LLMs) and Vision Language Models (VLMs)—is unlocking new capabilities that enable robots to autonomously see, think and act. By integrating Google's state-of-the-art AI and development platforms, which support advanced intelligence, with FANUC’s proprietary control technology, these systems are capable of flexibly adapting to environmental changes.
The collaboration between FANUC and Google will fundamentally redefine conventional approaches in robot system development. The greatest innovation lies in enabling anyone to operate robots intuitively, eliminating the need for specialized coding or meticulous teaching.
To expand the possibilities of physical AI and minimize the barriers to robot utilization, FANUC is driving the following initiatives:
FANUC has built a novel physical AI system that utilizes Google's generative AI, "Gemini Enterprise," as an AI agent. This agent accurately interprets the intent behind ambiguous human instructions provided via voice or text, links this information with camera image data, and autonomously assesses the situation on the shop floor. By doing so, it liberates users from conventional, complex teaching tasks and provides a breakthrough interface that allows anyone to operate robots intuitively using natural language.
FANUC robots now support the robot system development software developed by "Intrinsic," Google's AI robotics software company. This enables users to rapidly build advanced robot applications through an intuitive, web-based interface without requiring specialized programing knowledge. It creates a next-generation development environment that drastically lowers the barrier for automation adoption by significantly reducing the time and cost required for peripheral device connectivity and system integration.
FANUC is participating in Google DeepMind's "Gemini Robotics Trusted Tester" program, embarking on joint research for next-generation AI for robot systems. This initiative combines FANUC's long-cultivated industrial robotics expertise and physical data with the latest robotics foundation models developed by the world's premier AI research institution. By fusing state-of-the-art software and hardware, we will powerfully accelerate the practical application of autonomous robots.
The collaboration between FANUC and Google will fundamentally redefine conventional approaches in robot system development. The greatest innovation lies in enabling anyone to operate robots intuitively, eliminating the need for specialized coding or meticulous teaching.
At the core of the system is an "AI Agent" with advanced conversational and recognition capabilities. The AI agent accurately understands natural human language (instructions) and independently recognizes the objects and its surrounding environment.
There is no longer a need to program the precise shapes of parts or their exact placement locations. Guided by the instructions of the AI agent, multiple robots operate in coordination. This enables a functioning physical AI system that adapts flexibly to ever-changing environments in a human-like manner.
Collaborative and industrial robots equipped with "AI Agents" do not merely operate independently, but also work together intelligently as a unified team to accomplish tasks.
