(Photo: Meta)
Menlo Park, CA — February 14, 2025
Meta Platforms has quietly entered the humanoid robotics space, deepening its commitment to bring artificial intelligence out of screens and into the physical world. According to an internal company memo, the social media and AI powerhouse has established a new robotics division within its Reality Labs unit dedicated to developing AI‑powered humanoid robots capable of supporting physical tasks.
The initiative will harness Meta’s LLaMA foundation models — the same generative AI models behind many of its current AI tools — with the goal of applying that intelligence to machines that can interpret and act in real‑world environments. Meta has named former Cruise CEO Marc Whitten as vice president of robotics to lead this effort, alongside John Koryl, who will help develop retail and consumer strategy for AI‑enabled devices.
Industry analysts note that Meta’s move places it alongside competitors such as Tesla’s Optimus, Nvidia‑backed Figure AI, and other robotics startups that are racing to develop intelligent machines. The company’s internal memo suggests a focus on software, AI integration, and sensor systems that could be licensed or used in robots manufactured by other hardware partners, rather than immediately launching a Meta‑branded humanoid model.
Despite the strategic push, Meta has not announced a release date nor offered a commercial robot for purchase. Instead, the effort is viewed as a long‑term investment that leverages Meta’s strengths in AI and mixed reality — and positions the company for future competition in an industry that many believe will shape the next decade of consumer and enterprise technology.
Meta’s robotics initiative reflects broader industry momentum, as major tech firms increasingly seek to extend AI beyond software and into machines that can act in and interact with physical spaces — a frontier that remains technically challenging but potentially transformative.