Meta Platforms has acquired Assured Robot Intelligence (ARI), a startup specializing in artificial intelligence models for robots. The acquisition aims to strengthen Meta's development of humanoid AI, a key focus as the company shifts resources toward AI infrastructure.
Meta Platforms announced on Friday, May 1, 2026, that it has acquired Assured Robot Intelligence (ARI), a startup focused on developing artificial intelligence models for robots. The purchase is intended to bolster Meta's efforts in building humanoid technology. ARI's team, including co-founders Lerrel Pinto and Xiaolong Wang, will join Meta's Superintelligence Labs. The company did not disclose the financial terms of the acquisition.
ARI's work centers on creating AI that enables robots to understand, predict, and adapt to human behaviors within complex and dynamic environments. Their expertise includes designing models for robot control and self-learning, specifically for whole-body humanoid control. Xiaolong Wang, one of ARI's co-founders, previously conducted research at Nvidia and held an associate professor position at the University of California, San Diego. Lerrel Pinto, the other co-founder, is an NYU faculty member and previously co-founded Fauna Robotics, which was acquired by Amazon in March 2026 for its own humanoid robot development. ARI had employees located in San Diego and New York.
This acquisition aligns with Meta's stated strategy to develop a platform for humanoid robots, offering sensors, software, and AI models that other manufacturers could utilize, similar to the Android operating system for mobile devices. This approach emphasizes software and AI strengths over large-scale hardware manufacturing, aiming to capture value through data, model ecosystems, and integration with Meta's existing user base of 3.3 billion daily users. The move signifies a strategic shift for Meta, moving resources away from its augmented reality initiative, the Metaverse, and concentrating them on artificial intelligence. This pivot is further underscored by Meta's recent increase in projected capital expenditures for 2026, citing higher component prices and additional AI data-center costs, raising its spending forecast by $10 billion to a range of $125 billion to $145 billion.
Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth had previously indicated in 2025 that the company's objective was to create licensed software for robotics companies, starting with developing technology for a dexterous robotic hand and expanding from there. The acquisition of ARI is Meta's first external acquisition in the robotics sector, accelerating competition with other major technology firms like Amazon and Tesla, which are also investing in humanoid robotics. Amazon's prior acquisition of Fauna Robotics demonstrates the growing interest in this field.
The integration of ARI's team into Meta Superintelligence Labs is expected to accelerate Meta's internal development of proprietary advancements in robotics. The company is reportedly working on a humanoid robot project called "Metabot," which aims to perform precise manipulation tasks such as household chores and handling delicate objects. This move into physical-world AI is part of Meta's broader ambition to provide "personal superintelligence" to billions of people.
The financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. ARI had previously raised a total of $63 million in funding. The startup's technology includes e-Flesh tactile sensor technology.
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