SoftBank Group announced on Monday that it has reached an agreement to acquire the robotics division of Swiss engineering company ABB for $5.4 billion, marking another major step in its strategy to expand its artificial intelligence portfolio. The transaction is still subject to global regulatory approvals.
Following the deal, ABB will abandon its plan to spin off the robotics unit as a separately listed company. SoftBank’s founder, Masayoshi Son, described the move as part of the company’s vision to merge advanced AI capabilities with robotics, aiming to push forward what he calls “Physical AI.” His broader ambition involves the concept of Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI), an idea he has championed as a future form of AI far surpassing human intelligence.
Son has been aggressively positioning SoftBank at the center of the global AI boom, making significant investments and acquisitions across the tech landscape. The company owns chip designer Arm and holds a major stake in OpenAI. It also has investments in robotics companies such as AutoStore Holdings and Agile Robots.
SoftBank has a long history in robotics. In 2012, the company took a controlling stake in French robotics firm Aldebaran. The partnership introduced Pepper in 2014, a humanoid robot that ultimately failed to gain commercial traction. Despite that setback, robotics has once again become a key strategic priority for the Japanese conglomerate.
ABB CEO Morten Wierod, who assumed the role in August 2024, had previously advocated for a spin-off of the robotics business as a strategic move. The company stated that the sale would deliver immediate value to its shareholders and that the proceeds would be allocated according to its existing capital management strategy.
ABB expects approximately $5.3 billion in cash proceeds from the deal, with separation costs of around $200 million — half of which is already reflected in its 2025 guidance.
