> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://news.theresarobotforthat.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Japan's $6.28B bet on physical AI for robots - URL: https://news.theresarobotforthat.com/japans-628b-bet-on-physical-ai-for-robots/ - Published: 2026-04-15T10:30:27.000Z - Updated: 2026-04-15T10:30:26.000Z - Description: PLUS: Chery's $41K humanoid goes on sale, wall-climbing robot tackles industrial tanks, and Apollo hits Mercedes factories - Author: Ulrich Baldauf - Tags: Newsletter ## Welcome back to your Robot Briefing Japan's biggest tech names — SoftBank, Sony, NEC, and Honda — just pooled $6.28 billion in government backing to build their own physical AI foundation model. The goal: break free from U.S. AI infrastructure and power a new generation of autonomous machines by 2030. It's a national bet on robots that work in the real world, not just chat on screens. The question is whether Japan's consortium can outpace Silicon Valley's head start — and what happens to global supply chains if they do. In today's Robot update: Japan's $6.28B push for homegrown physical AI Chery's $41K humanoid targets everyday consumers Wall-climbing robot tackles China's industrial hazards Apollo humanoid brings Google AI to factory work News ### Japan's tech giants launch $6.28B joint venture targeting physical AI for robots and autonomous machines ![Infographic: Japan's \$6.28B physical AI joint venture](https://res.cloudinary.com/duuood1js/image/upload/f_webp,q_auto/v1776221427/theresarobotforthat/C183-infographic-2026-04-15.png) Image Source: There's A Robot For That **Snapshot:** SoftBank, Sony, NEC, and Honda are [forming a new AI company](https://asia.nikkei.com/business/technology/artificial-intelligence/japan-s-softbank-launches-unit-to-develop-homegrown-ai?ref=news.theresarobotforthat.com) backed by **$6.28 billion** in Japanese government funding to build a trillion-parameter model for autonomous machines, marking a strategic shift away from U.S. AI dependence. The venture targets commercial deployment of physical AI applications by 2030. Breakdown: The joint venture will hire **100 AI engineers** to develop models specifically for robots, autonomous vehicles, and factory automation, with Honda deploying first in its self-driving cars and Sony contributing robotics and gaming hardware expertise. Major Japanese industrial firms including Kobe Steel, Nippon Steel, and three major banks are investing alongside government backing of **one trillion yen over five years** through Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development agency. The initiative explicitly aims to train AI on Japanese data kept within Japan's borders, reversing the "digital deficit" where Japanese companies have been paying U.S. cloud providers and sending capital overseas. **Takeaway:** This signals sovereign AI concerns are now driving multi-billion dollar domestic robotics investments, not just defense or data privacy initiatives. Operations leaders at multinational manufacturers should watch whether this model spawns similar regional partnerships in Europe or elsewhere, potentially fragmenting the robotics ecosystem and creating new compliance considerations for global deployments. News ### Chery brings humanoid robot to general consumer market at $41,400 **Snapshot:** Chinese automaker Chery's AiMoga brand [launched direct online sales](https://carnewschina.com/2026/04/13/chery-begins-online-sales-of-humanoid-robot-with-a-0-7-kwh-battery-at-41400-usd/?ref=news.theresarobotforthat.com) of its Mornine M1 humanoid robot at **$41,400**, combining e-commerce with plans for **300+ physical dealer locations** mixing auto showrooms, specialty stores, and mall experience centers. The company is offering direct purchase, long-term leasing, and installment payment options to lower barriers for ordinary consumers and business buyers. Breakdown: AiMoga established in January 2026 leverages Chery's automotive supply chain and manufacturing scale, applying technologies from smart cockpits, vehicle electronic architectures, and multi-modal interactions to humanoid robotics production. The company signed agreements with over **300 dealers** at an early 2026 franchise conference and is actively recruiting franchisees beyond traditional car dealers to build out its first domestic channel network this year. Chery's senior management views AiMoga as a "third growth curve" for overall revenue, treating humanoid robotics as a strategic diversification play alongside its core automotive business. **Takeaway:** A major automaker treating humanoids like consumer vehicles—with dealer networks, financing options, and mall showrooms—suggests the business model is shifting from pilot programs to volume distribution. The **sub-$50K price point** with flexible payment terms puts capable humanoids within reach of mid-sized operations, making 2026-2027 the window when cost objections start losing credibility in budget discussions. News ### China deploys wall-climbing humanoid for high-risk industrial operations **Snapshot:** China has [deployed its first embodied AI humanoid](https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-04-12/China-deploys-first-embodied-AI-robot-for-high-risk-tasks-1MhV6XnnqWQ/p.html?ref=news.theresarobotforthat.com) designed specifically for hazardous industrial work, using a magnetic chassis to climb chemical storage tank walls while performing precision welding, rust remediation, and inspections with **15 degrees of freedom**. The **90-kg system** operates continuously via tethered power, eliminating battery constraints for true 24/7 operation. Breakdown: Unlike earlier wall-climbing robots limited to single repetitive functions, this system handles multiple complex industrial tasks by leveraging AI trained on **100,000 hours of operational data** to adapt to environments and improve through experience. The robot's dual arms and human-like flexibility allow simultaneous multitasking such as welding and grinding on scaffolds, while its magnetic attachment system enables operation on any metal vertical surface where scaffolding would be dangerous or impractical. A tethered cable system provides constant power supply, eliminating the downtime required for recharging mobile units and enabling nonstop productive operation in chemical storage facilities and similar high-risk environments. **Takeaway:** Purpose-built industrial humanoids solving specific high-risk problems are already deployed and operating, not in labs but at active chemical facilities. Companies with hazardous confined-space work, difficult vertical access, or 24/7 maintenance requirements should evaluate whether their safety incidents and insurance costs justify piloting task-specific humanoids now rather than waiting for general-purpose models. News ### Apptronik's Apollo humanoid hits factory floors with Google DeepMind AI integration **Snapshot:** Apptronik's Apollo humanoid robots are being [deployed on active](https://interestingengineering.com/ai-robotics/us-startup-raises-funds-to-deploy-apollo?ref=news.theresarobotforthat.com) manufacturing lines at Mercedes-Benz and Jabil, integrating Google DeepMind's Gemini multimodal reasoning to enable vision-language-action models that convert visual information and spoken instructions into motor commands for factory tasks. The **5-foot-8-inch, 160-pound** units can lift up to **55 pounds** and work alongside human employees. Breakdown: Google DeepMind partnered with Apptronik in December 2024 to embed physical AI that combines vision-language-action models with embodied reasoning, allowing Apollo to perform multi-step reasoning, plan next actions, and adapt to instructions rather than follow pre-programmed scripts. Apollo has completed trials moving packages, picking and delivering components, and performing repetitive tasks on production lines at Mercedes-Benz and at Jabil, which serves as Apptronik's global manufacturing partner for the robots themselves. Apptronik's head of product notes that generative AI developments have accelerated physical AI capabilities faster than expected, enabling traditionally programmed machines to now interact with people and perform useful work with genuine autonomy. **Takeaway:** Major manufacturers are already running humanoids on active production lines alongside workers, not in isolated test cells. Operations leaders should ask their manufacturing and logistics teams to identify three repetitive tasks currently performed by humans where a **55-pound payload capacity** and conversational instruction could deliver ROI, then request pilot proposals from vendors before competitors gain 12-18 months of deployment learning advantages. ### Other Top Robot Stories **DeepX** [showcased](https://biz.chosun.com/en/en-it/2026/04/13/G45XBSOONRGKBMLSZVMF7S5FAA/?ref=news.theresarobotforthat.com) its mass-produced DX-M1 AI chip at Japan's DX Week 2026, targeting embedded IoT and robotics markets as the Korean fabless firm pushes into physical AI applications ahead of its 2-nanometer DX-M2 chip launch in H2 2026. **Beijing** [hosted](https://www.scmp.com/video/sport/3349927/chinese-teams-fine-tune-robots-beijing-humanoid-half-marathon?ref=news.theresarobotforthat.com) a full-scale test run for its second humanoid robot half-marathon scheduled April 19, with over 70 teams completing the 21-kilometer course — up nearly fivefold from last year's inaugural event where only six of 21 robots finished. **Humyn** [committed](https://www.livemint.com/companies/ai-training-data-firm-humyn-commits-20-mn-to-expand-operations-eyes-100-mn-arr-by-2026end-11776063431258.html?ref=news.theresarobotforthat.com) $20 million to expand data collection operations across India, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and West Asia for training physical AI systems, focusing on egocentric video and conversational voice data across 33 languages without institutional venture backing. **Washington State University** [developed](https://news.wsu.edu/press-release/2026/01/07/inflatable-fabric-robotic-arm-picks-apples/?ref=news.theresarobotforthat.com) a soft inflatable robotic arm weighing under 50 pounds and costing $5,500 that can identify and pick apples in 25 seconds, addressing Washington's agricultural labor shortage in its multibillion-dollar farming industry. **🤖 Your robotics thought for today:** Japan just committed $6.28 billion to avoid paying U.S. cloud bills. That's not an AI strategy — it's an independence strategy that happens to build robots. If Europe follows the same playbook, your 2028 factory might need three different robot operating systems depending on which country you're deploying in. I'm watching whether sovereignty concerns fragment the market faster than standards can keep up. Until Friday, Uli