Report: Meta Develops Robots for Household Tasks

Over the past few years, Meta has invested hundreds of billions of dollars in its Reality Labs division, which creates products like the Ray-Ban smart glasses and the Quest VR headset. The company plans to develop humanoid robots and an AI infrastructure this year, as well as invest $65 billion in similar products.

Although it will build robot hardware during development, Meta’s long-term goal is similar to Android, where Google creates the software platform that nearly the entire industry (apart from Apple) uses. Meta plans to use its advancements in AI and augmented reality to build a platform for futuristic humanoid robots that can assist with household chores like folding laundry. 

The company plans to leverage its advances in AI and augmented reality to build a platform for futuristic humanoid robots that can help with household chores like folding laundry. Meta is reportedly creating a new team within its Reality Labs hardware division, which handles Quest VR headsets and the long-term Orion AR glasses project. Although it will build robot hardware during development, Meta’s long-term goal is more like Android, where Google makes the software platform that almost all of the industry (outside of Apple) uses.

Meta would make the sensors, AI, and software for other companies to put inside their hardware.  In the meantime, Meta has begun discussions with robotics companies such as Unitree Robotics and Figure AI Inc. to develop hardware. In other words, it wants to be the Android of androids. At least initially, Meta plans to make household chores the project’s central focus.

 Bloomberg lists folding laundry, carrying glasses of water, putting dinnerware in the dishwasher, and other home chores as examples to build excitement around what could be a product category for many people. They are planning to target the robot technology marketplace by developing its own hardware to power humanoid

This news comes from a report by Bloomberg, which suggests that a new team formed within Meta’s Reality Labs division will start working on “humanoid robot hardware” that can help with household chores.

This means that Meta might not initially launch an in-house developed robot but might be looking to achieve what Google and Qualcomm did with Android and Snapdragon chips in the smartphone sector.  But even the tech giant doesn’t plan to sell a Meta-branded robot; it plans on building prototypes and hardware that act as a foundation for humanoid robots.

The report suggests that the new team working on humanoid robots will be led by Marc Whitten, who has also worked on GM’s now abandoned experimental robotaxi called Cruise. The company is also rumoured to hire around 100 engineers for the project this year.