Amazon Boosts Robotics Capabilities by Hiring Covariant Founders and Team

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Amazon's recent move to hire the founders of Covariant, along with about a quarter of its employees, marks a strategic investment in advancing its robotics capabilities. By bringing on board Pieter Abbeel, Peter Chen, and Rocky Duan, Amazon aims to integrate Covariant's AI models, specifically designed for robotic tasks like bin picking, into its existing robotics fleet. This talent and technology acquisition is part of Amazon's broader strategy to enhance its fulfillment operations with cutting-edge AI, allowing for more efficient and intelligent automation in its warehouses.

This deal is similar to Amazon's earlier acquisition of talent from AI startup Adept, highlighting a trend where Amazon secures access to innovative technology and expertise without fully acquiring the startups, possibly as a strategy to navigate antitrust scrutiny. This method, referred to by some as a "reverse acquihire," allows Amazon to bolster its technological prowess while maintaining regulatory compliance.

Covariant, on the other hand, continues to operate independently under new leadership, with Ted Stinson as CEO and Tianhao Zhang in key roles. The company remains committed to deploying its AI-driven Covariant Brain across various industries, ranging from apparel to pharmaceuticals, ensuring its technology continues to have a broad impact despite the partial talent shift to Amazon.

This move underscores the growing importance of AI in industrial automation and the increasing competition among tech giants to secure top talent and technology to stay ahead in the race to innovate.

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