Google has joined hands with Japanese robotics giant FANUC America Corporation to advance Physical AI in industrial robots, amid rising demand for smarter automation systems capable of handling more complex factory tasks.

The collaboration will combine Google’s artificial intelligence technologies with industrial robotics systems already used across manufacturing facilities worldwide.

The companies said the partnership aims to accelerate the deployment of AI-powered robots capable of understanding their surroundings through sensors, making autonomous decisions, and carrying out tasks in real-world factory environments.

FANUC America said its partnership with Google marks an important step toward building more flexible and adaptive AI-driven automation systems for manufacturers across North America.

The company also announced expanded integration between its ROBOGUIDE simulation platform and NVIDIA’s Isaac Sim framework to support advanced robotics development.

Bringing Physical AI to factory floors

Physical AI has emerged as one of the fastest-growing areas in robotics following advances in large language models (LLMs) and AI reasoning systems.

Robots induced with Physical AI can adapt to changing conditions and perform various tasks autonomously, in contrast to traditional robots that are programmed for repetitive movements.

FANUC America Corporation already supports the Robot Operating System (ROS), a widely used open platform for robot control. Its robots are also compatible with Python programming and high-speed communication interfaces used for AI development and external robot control.

Google’s Intrinsic robotics AI group is a major contributor to ROS development, making the collaboration significant for manufacturers seeking more open and flexible AI-powered automation systems.

The companies said these capabilities allow factories to integrate Physical AI technologies across a broad range of robots, from smaller 6.6 lbs (3 kg) payload systems to large industrial machines capable of handling up to 2.3 tons.

Over 1,000 AI robots already shipped

Interest in Physical AI systems has accelerated rapidly since FANUC showcased its Physical AI platform during the International Robot Exhibition (IREX) in Tokyo last December.

Following the exhibition, the company revealed that it has already shipped more than 1,000 robots for Physical AI-related applications, with demand continuing to increase.

“Manufacturers are moving beyond the question of whether to use AI and focusing on how to apply it where it matters most—on the factory floor,” said Mike Cicco, President and CEO of FANUC America.

“By combining industrial-grade robotics with Google’s advanced AI, we’re enabling customers to take on more complex, variable production while maintaining the reliability and performance that production environments demand,” he added.

Growing race for AI-powered manufacturing

The collaboration reflects a broader industry shift toward adaptive factory automation systems capable of handling labor shortages, increasing customization demands, and more flexible manufacturing operations.

Technology companies and robotics firms worldwide are racing to develop AI-powered humanoid and industrial robots that can operate more independently inside warehouses and production lines.

With more than 1,000 Physical AI robots already deployed, the partnership signals that AI-driven industrial automation is beginning to move from testing environments into large-scale factory operations.