FieldAI, an Irvine, California-based robotics startup, has raised $405 million across several previously undisclosed rounds to develop what it calls “foundational embodied AI models”—essentially, universal robot brains. The technology is designed to help a wide range of robots, from humanoids to self-driving cars, adapt to new and complex environments.
By the Numbers
The funding was announced on Wednesday and includes a recent significant round:
- $405 Million: The total funding raised across multiple rounds.
- $314 Million: The amount raised in the most recent round in August.
- Key Investors: The latest round was co-led by Bezos Expeditions, Prysm, and Temasek, with other backers including Khosla Ventures and Intel Capital.
- Founded in 2023: The year the company was officially launched.
A Physics-Based Approach to Embodied AI
Unlike traditional AI that processes text or images, embodied AI controls physical robots moving through the real world. FieldAI is building “Field Foundation Models” that are rooted in physics, giving robots a deeper understanding of their environment. This approach allows them to learn quickly and adapt to new situations while being conscious of risk and safety.
“The mission is to build a single robot brain that can generalize across different robot types and a diverse set of environments,” said FieldAI founder and CEO Ali Agha.
Solving the Problem of AI Hallucination in Robotics
A key innovation of FieldAI’s technology is its ability to mitigate the risks of AI “hallucination” in physical systems. Agha explained that while a small error in a text-based AI is often harmless, a similar error in a robot operating in a dangerous environment can be catastrophic. By adding a layer of physics, the AI can assess its confidence in a decision, allowing it to make much safer choices. Customers can even define a risk threshold that the robot will adhere to.
Looking Ahead: A General-Purpose Robot Brain
Since launching in 2023, FieldAI has already secured contracts in the construction, energy, and urban delivery sectors. The new funding will be used to support R&D and ramp up production to deploy its models to customers globally. For the MENA region, FieldAI’s technology could have significant applications in large-scale giga-projects, the energy sector, and logistics, where adaptable and safe robotic solutions are in high demand.
Source: TechCrunch
