Meta is preparing to enter the robotics market with aspirations of becoming the "Android for robots." According to sources, the company is working on its own robot named Metabot, but the primary focus is on creating a software platform that can be licensed by other manufacturers.
Meta's CTO, Andrew Bosworth, stated that software is the "bottleneck" in robotics development. The company has assembled a team led by former Cruise CEO Mark Whitten and resources from Superintelligence Labs to develop a so-called "global model" that will enable robots to simulate complex physical actions, starting with hand movement animation and eventually performing multi-step tasks.
As early as 2025, Meta considered the idea of creating a robot for household chores such as cleaning or folding laundry, but currently, these are only in the research phase.
Meta is not alone in envisioning a future with home robots. Apple is working on a device with a robotic arm and display, while Tesla regularly showcases its humanoid, Optimus, albeit in controlled environments.
If Meta's strategy succeeds, it could become a key supplier of the "operating system" for robots, much like Google once did for smartphones. However, Google is also not falling behind, with its research division, DeepMind, continuously unveiling new developments in robotics, including training robots to "Google" and share knowledge with one another.
