Jeff Bezos And Masayoshi Son's SoftBank Lead $300M Funding Round For Startup Working On Developing 'General Purpose Brain' For AI Systems
The artificial intelligence company Skild AI has secured a substantial $300 million in Series A funding. This investment round was led by Amazon.com Inc. founder Jeff Bezos and SoftBank Group (OTC:SFTBY) (OTC:SFTBF), led by Masayoshi Son, among others, and is aimed at developing a “general-purpose brain” for AI systems.
What Happened: Skild AI, a spinout from Carnegie Mellon, recently emerged from stealth mode to announce the successful completion of its Series A funding round, the company announced last week. The company is focused on creating an AI system that can be retrofitted into various machines and robotics devices.
The funding, which was raised at a valuation of $1.5 billion, was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, Coatue, SoftBank Group, and Bezos through Bezos Expeditions. It also saw participation from Felicis Ventures, Sequoia, Menlo Ventures, General Catalyst, CRV, Amazon, SV Angel, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Skild AI is the latest entrant in the AI space with the ambitious goal of developing an “artificial general intelligence.”
Skild AI’s long-term objective is to create a modular artificial “brain” that can be retrofitted for use in any compatible housing. The company’s roadmap and partnerships were not disclosed in the Series A funding announcement.
Why It Matters: Bezos’s involvement in Skild AI comes after he sold $5 billion in Amazon shares earlier this year. This move had sparked speculation about his financial strategies, including a potential purchase of the Seattle Seahawks. Bezos, who stepped down as Amazon’s CEO in 2021, continues to shape the tech landscape through strategic investments and his role as executive chair.
Meanwhile, SoftBank has been aggressively expanding its AI portfolio. Recently, SoftBank acquired UK chipmaker Graphcore to strengthen its AI capabilities. This acquisition aligns with SoftBank’s broader strategy to invest in foundational AI technologies, including semiconductors and systems.
Amazon’s increasing reliance on robotics further underscores the significance of Skild AI’s mission. The e-commerce giant has deployed over 750,000 robots, replacing more than 100,000 human jobs. These robots, such as Sequoia and Digit, enhance efficiency and safety, highlighting the growing role of AI in operational processes.
Additionally, the broader AI landscape is witnessing ambitious predictions. Emad Mostaque, co-founder of Stability AI, recently forecasted that China would lead in robot adoption, with Elon Musk echoing that robots will eventually outnumber humans.
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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Kaustubh Bagalkote