SoftBank and Yaskawa Collaborate to Develop Advanced AI Robots

SoftBank and Yaskawa Electric have entered into a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop what they term “Physical AI” robots intended for office environments. This collaboration combines SoftBank’s AI-RAN initiative and Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) platform with Yaskawa’s expertise in robotics and motion control. The companies aim to address Japan’s pressing labour shortages and demographic challenges by accelerating the deployment of advanced robotic solutions.

This partnership aims to enhance the “social implementation” of Physical AI technologies, which are designed to integrate seamlessly into various workspaces. As a first step, SoftBank and Yaskawa have created an application for an office-oriented robot that interfaces with building management systems and employs AI operating on the MEC platform. Unlike conventional robots, which typically perform limited tasks, this new system can integrate multiple data streams in real time, allowing robots to adapt and perform a broader range of functions.

Addressing Automation Needs in Japan

Japan faces significant challenges related to its workforce, particularly in environments where humans and machines must work together, such as offices, schools, hospitals, and retail spaces. According to the companies, these settings require complex decision-making abilities and flexible responses to dynamic situations, which traditional automation often struggles to provide. By merging SoftBank’s AI-RAN with Yaskawa’s robotics capabilities, the partnership aims to create a domestically developed AI infrastructure that can cater to the nation’s unique automation needs.

The goal is to enhance robots’ reasoning capabilities and expand the variety of tasks they can safely execute in environments populated by people. By achieving this, SoftBank and Yaskawa hope to set a new standard for robotic functionality in everyday workplaces.

Technological Innovations and System Design

Yaskawa Electric brings decades of experience in precision motion control and industrial robotics to this partnership. The company is currently developing an autonomous robot named Motoman Next, which aims to leverage AI for improved decision-making and operational flexibility. Meanwhile, SoftBank is contributing its MEC environment and AI-RAN capabilities, which facilitate low-latency processing of extensive sensor and camera data. This allows the robots to gain an “external perspective” to interpret their surroundings effectively.

Additionally, SoftBank has developed a Vision-Language Model (VLM) that operates within the MEC framework to generate task instructions. Yaskawa has designed a complementary Vision-Language Action (VLA) system, which serves as Robot AI, translating the VLM’s directives into specific robotic movements. The integrated system architecture includes a next-generation building management system, a MEC AI layer, and Robot AI, enabling real-time decision-making and interaction with unexpected events in a building.

The collaboration is set to showcase its advancements at the International Robot Exhibition (iREX 2025), scheduled for December 3 to 6, 2025, at Tokyo Big Sight. Here, the companies will demonstrate how one robot can assume multiple roles traditionally requiring several specialized machines, illustrating the potential for multi-skilled robots to operate effectively in workplace settings.

Going beyond standard automation frameworks, SoftBank and Yaskawa aim to merge robotics with cutting-edge communication technologies. Their vision is to create an environment where humans and robots can collaborate safely and efficiently, ultimately broadening the range of tasks that robots can perform alongside people.