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Physical Intelligence Seeks $1 Billion in New Funding
Robotics startup's valuation could exceed $11 billion as it pursues general-purpose AI for versatile robots
Mar. 28, 2026 at 4:12am by Ben Kaplan
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San Francisco-based robotics startup Physical Intelligence is reportedly in talks to secure another $1 billion in funding, potentially doubling its valuation to over $11 billion. The company's focus on developing general-purpose AI models to power adaptable robots, rather than specialized machines, has attracted significant investor interest and signals a major shift in the robotics industry.
Why it matters
Physical Intelligence's approach to building AI-driven robots capable of performing a wide range of tasks, rather than being limited to specific functions, could transform industries like logistics, manufacturing, healthcare, and domestic services. The massive funding round underscores investor confidence in the future of versatile robotics and the potential impact of general-purpose AI.
The details
Physical Intelligence co-founder Sergey Levine describes the company's ambition as building 'ChatGPT, but for robots' - developing AI models that can power robots to learn and adapt to new situations, much like humans. This shift from specialized, pre-programmed robots to general-purpose AI-driven systems requires immense computational power, driving Physical Intelligence's need for substantial funding to support its foundational research and development.
- Physical Intelligence was founded by AI academics and former Google DeepMind researchers.
- The company's current valuation is $5.6 billion, assessed just four months ago.
- The new funding round could potentially value Physical Intelligence at over $11 billion.
The players
Physical Intelligence
A San Francisco-based robotics startup focused on developing general-purpose AI models to power versatile robots capable of performing a wide range of tasks.
Sergey Levine
Co-founder of Physical Intelligence, who describes the company's ambition as building 'ChatGPT, but for robots'.
Lachy Groom
Co-founder of Physical Intelligence, who acknowledges the immense computational power required to build sophisticated AI models for robotics.
Founders Fund
A venture capital firm led by Peter Thiel, known for backing ambitious, long-term projects, that is reportedly participating in Physical Intelligence's latest funding round.
Lightspeed Venture Partners
A prominent Silicon Valley venture capital firm that is reportedly participating in Physical Intelligence's latest funding round.
What they’re saying
“There's always more compute you can throw at the problem.”
— Lachy Groom, Co-founder, Physical Intelligence
“ChatGPT, but for robots.”
— Sergey Levine, Co-founder, Physical Intelligence
What’s next
Physical Intelligence has not provided a specific timeline for commercialization, as the company is focused on the foundational research and development needed to build truly intelligent robots.
The takeaway
The success of Physical Intelligence and the substantial investment it is attracting signal a future where robots are no longer limited to repetitive tasks, but instead become versatile assistants capable of handling a wide range of jobs across various industries. This shift towards general-purpose AI-driven robotics could have far-reaching implications for the future of automation and the way we work.
