Accenture Ventures announced it had made a strategic investment in Sanctuary AI, a developer of humanoid general-purpose robots powered by AI that can perform various work tasks quickly, safely, and effectively.
Sanctuary AI’s general-purpose robot, Phoenix, can perform many work tasks. For example, at a Mark’s retail store in Langley, BC, Canada, Phoenix has performed more than 100 tasks, including choosing and packing merchandise and correctly cleaning, tagging, labeling, and folding items, with robotic hands that rival human hand dexterity and fine manipulation.
Phoenix is powered by the company’s AI control system Carbon, which mimics subsystems found in the human brain like memory, sight, sound and touch, and translates natural language into action in the real world.
Accenture has previously invested in several other robotics areas. For example, through Accenture Alpha Automation, a recently formed joint venture with Japanese robotics leader Mujin, and acquisitions of Eclipse Automation in Canada and Pollux in Brazil. Sanctuary AI is also the latest company to join Accenture Ventures’ Project Spotlight, an engagement and investment program that connects emerging technology startups with Accenture’s Global 2000 client base to fill strategic innovation gaps.
KEY QUOTES:
“AI-powered humanoid robots are essential to reinventing work and supporting human workers as labor shortage is becoming an issue in many countries and industries. Sanctuary AI’s advanced AI platform trains robots to react to their environment and perform new tasks with precision in a very short time. We see huge potential for their robots in post and parcel, manufacturing, retail and logistics warehousing operations, where they could complement and collaborate with human workers and automate tasks that traditional robotics can’t.”
- Joe Lui, Accenture’s global advanced automation and robotics lead
“Robots with human-like intelligence will completely transform the workforce of the future. By combining Accenture’s expertise in disruptive technology with Sanctuary AI’s industry-leading robotics, we can help some of the biggest companies in the world manage this change and provide the best solutions for its clients.”
- Geordie Rose, chief executive officer and co-founder of Sanctuary AI
