SoftBank Group Corp. said Monday it has agreed to acquire the robotics division of Swiss engineering giant ABB Ltd. for $5.4 billion, marking a major step in the Japanese conglomerate’s effort to expand its footprint in artificial intelligence.
The deal, which remains subject to global regulatory approvals, will halt ABB’s previously announced plan to spin off its robotics unit as a publicly listed company. ABB said the sale will deliver immediate value to shareholders and expects to receive approximately $5.3 billion in cash, with separation costs estimated at $200 million.
“SoftBank’s next frontier is Physical AI,” said Masayoshi Son, founder and CEO of SoftBank, in a statement. “Together with ABB Robotics, we will unite world-class technology and talent under our shared vision to fuse Artificial Super Intelligence and robotics — driving a groundbreaking evolution that will propel humanity forward.”
Artificial Super Intelligence, or ASI, is Son’s concept of AI that is exponentially smarter than humans — by a factor of 10,000. The acquisition aligns with SoftBank’s broader strategy to position itself at the center of the AI revolution through targeted investments and acquisitions. The company already owns chip designer Arm and holds a significant stake in OpenAI.
SoftBank has a history in robotics, including investments in AutoStore Holdings and Agile Robots. In 2012, it acquired a majority stake in French robotics firm Aldebaran, which later launched the humanoid robot Pepper — a venture that failed commercially but laid the groundwork for renewed interest in the sector.
ABB CEO Morten Wierod, who took the helm in August 2024, had championed the spin-off of the robotics unit as a strategic move. The company said it will allocate the proceeds from the sale in line with its established capital principles.