TL;DR
Boston Dynamics and Google DeepMind announced a collaboration at CES 2026 to pair DeepMind’s Gemini Robotics foundation models with Boston Dynamics’ new Atlas humanoid robots. The joint research, starting in the coming months and to be run by both organizations, aims to enable humanoids to perform a range of industrial tasks with an initial focus on the automotive sector.
What happened
At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Boston Dynamics and Google DeepMind disclosed a strategic research partnership designed to bring advanced AI capabilities to humanoid robots. The agreement centers on integrating DeepMind’s Gemini Robotics foundation models — derived from the broader, multi-modal Gemini model — with Boston Dynamics’ latest Atlas robots. Both teams said the collaboration will concentrate on creating visual-language-action models that let humanoids perceive, reason, use tools and interact with people, with the goal of enabling a wide variety of industrial applications. The work is slated to begin in the coming months and will be carried out by researchers at both companies. Boston Dynamics framed the effort as a step toward commercial humanoid deployment, and DeepMind described the partnership as an opportunity to scale robot intelligence into the physical world. Additional details were shared during Hyundai’s CES media presentation; Hyundai Motor Group is noted as Boston Dynamics’ majority shareholder.
Why it matters
- Combines Boston Dynamics’ robotic hardware and athletic performance with DeepMind’s large-scale AI models, potentially accelerating humanoid robot capabilities.
- Targets industrial tasks and manufacturing use cases, with the automotive sector singled out as an initial area of application.
- Aims to establish visual-language-action models that could make robots more adaptable to varied, real-world tasks and human interaction.
- Joint research approach signals an emphasis on developing models that can be deployed safely and efficiently across multiple industries.
Key facts
- Announcement made at CES 2026 in Las Vegas.
- Partners: Boston Dynamics and Google DeepMind.
- Collaboration will integrate Gemini Robotics foundation models with Boston Dynamics’ new Atlas robots.
- Joint research is expected to start in the coming months and will be conducted at both companies.
- Project focus: enabling humanoid robots to complete a wide variety of industrial tasks.
- Initial industry emphasis: automotive manufacturing.
- Gemini Robotics models are built on DeepMind’s large-scale, multi-modal Gemini model and are intended to help robots perceive, reason, use tools, and interact with humans.
- Boston Dynamics announced its intention to build a commercial humanoid in 2024.
- Additional details were provided during Hyundai’s CES presentation; Hyundai Motor Group is Boston Dynamics’ majority shareholder.
What to watch next
- Timeline and milestones for the joint research program, which is expected to begin in the coming months.
- Technical progress on integrating Gemini Robotics models with Atlas hardware and sensor systems.
- Pilot projects or commercial deployments in the automotive sector and other manufacturing applications (not confirmed in the source).
- Specific safety, scalability, and regulatory plans for rolling out humanoid robots in industrial environments (not confirmed in the source).
Quick glossary
- Gemini Robotics: A set of robot-focused foundation models developed by Google DeepMind, built on the multi-modal Gemini model, intended to help robots perceive and act in the physical world.
- Foundation model: A large-scale AI model trained on diverse data that can be adapted for many downstream tasks and applications.
- Humanoid robot: A robot designed with a human-like form or capabilities, often intended to operate in environments built for people.
- Multi-modal model: An AI model that processes and integrates multiple types of input such as text, images, and audio to perform tasks requiring combined understanding.
- Atlas: Boston Dynamics’ humanoid robot platform referenced in the announcement as the hardware partner for the collaboration.
Reader FAQ
Who are the partners in this collaboration?
Boston Dynamics and Google DeepMind.
When was the partnership announced?
The collaboration was announced at CES 2026 in Las Vegas.
What is the goal of the partnership?
To integrate DeepMind’s Gemini Robotics foundation models with Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robots to enable humanoids to perform a variety of industrial tasks, initially focusing on automotive applications.
When will the joint research begin?
The research is expected to start in the coming months.
Will there be immediate commercial deployments?
Not confirmed in the source.
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Sources
- Boston Dynamics and Google DeepMind Form New AI Partnership
- Will AI-powered humanoid robots someday work alongside us …
- Hyundai Motor Group Announces AI Robotics Strategy to …
- Boston Dynamics' Atlas humanoid robot is now a product …
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