Agility Robotics has signed deals with companies like GXO Logistics and Ford, and recently struck a deal with German automotive and industrial supplier Schaeffler. The company charges a monthly fee for the Digit robot, its work cell, and the robot's operating software. Despite concerns about job obsolescence due to technology, Johnson emphasized that the robots are intended to augment human work, not replace it.
Key takeaways:
- Agility Robotics' humanoid robot, Digit, has begun working in factories, filling labor gaps, and the company plans to deploy it across industries such as grocery, automotive, and pharma.
- Digit is the first humanoid robot to be "paid" for performing a job, with Agility Robotics charging a monthly fee for its use, similar to a software-as-a-service model.
- Agility Robotics CEO Peggy Johnson predicts that by mid-2025, the next-generation version of Digit will be able to safely operate around humans, with the new model expected to be commercially available within 18 to 24 months.
- Johnson also highlighted the importance of focusing on what their technology can actually perform today, rather than relying on concept videos, and expressed caution about the application of artificial intelligence in robotics.