Panasonic puts about 250 people on physical AI research for factories and logistics

Panasonic Holdings said on 11 November that it will step up research and development of physical AI, which combines AI and robots, with a team of about 250 people. It aims for business results in three to five years in areas where it is strong, such as factories and logistics.

The work is led by the AI and Robotics R&D Division set up on 1 October, with a focus on 3D spatial recognition, precise robot control and multimodal AI that handles several kinds of information. Results will be tested in the group's own factories, and Panasonic is considering offering them to outside customers as products or services.

In manufacturing, the AI is to learn skilled workers' know-how that is hard to put in drawings, such as how parts sit together, friction and the force used in assembly. Akira Sakakibara, the group's chief AI officer, said the focus for now is manufacturing and supply chain sites, with warehouses and logistics also in view.