Google DeepMind has recently brought on board Aaron Saunders, the previous chief technology officer at Boston Dynamics, as part of its strategy to enhance its robotics division.
Saunders, known for his contributions to creating robots that can perform impressive stunts like backflips and dances, stepped into the role of vice president of hardware engineering earlier this month.
This recruitment is a significant part of CEO Demis Hassabis’ ambition to develop Gemini into a versatile robot operating system, akin to how Google provides Android for various smartphone brands.
Hassabis described the vision for Gemini, saying, “You can think of it like an Android model. We aim to create an AI foundation, a Gemini system, that is nearly ready to use across different robot designs.” He emphasized that this includes both humanoid and non-humanoid robots.
Boston Dynamics is renowned for its advanced legged robots, including those resembling dogs and humanoid machines that can execute remarkable acrobatic movements.
Before becoming the VP of engineering in 2018, Saunders was involved in the development of an amphibious six-legged robot prototype and took on the role of CTO in 2021.
For years, Google DeepMind has been at the forefront of robotics research. With the increasing interest in more sophisticated robot forms, particularly humanoids, the team is intensifying its efforts to create AI models that can effectively control robotic systems.
Hassabis expressed his enthusiasm for these developments, predicting, “AI-driven robotics is poised for a breakthrough in the coming years.”
Boston Dynamics is primarily owned by Hyundai Motor Company, which acquired its stake from SoftBank after the latter purchased the company from Alphabet, Google’s parent company, in 2017.
In recent years, the technology and components necessary for building legged robots have become more accessible. Several startups in the United States are now venturing into humanoid robotics, including Agility Robotics, Figure AI, 1x, and Tesla. Elon Musk has stated that Tesla plans to manufacture one million of its Optimus humanoids over the next ten years.
Chinese firms are also making notable progress in robotics, often offering significantly cheaper legged robots compared to their U.S. counterparts.
Unitree, based in Hangzhou, China, has recently surpassed Boston Dynamics as the leading supplier of four-legged robots for sectors like manufacturing and construction.
While Hassabis acknowledges Unitree’s achievements, he emphasizes that his primary focus remains on software development. He believes that the multimodal capabilities of Google DeepMind’s flagship model, Gemini, are particularly advantageous for robotics.
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