SoftBank Reportedly Agrees to Buy Marc Raibert’s Robotics Institute

Key Takeaways

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• SoftBank has reportedly agreed to acquire the Robotics and AI Institute from Hyundai Motor Group. The deal is said to be under U.S. regulatory review.
• Led by Boston Dynamics founder Marc Raibert, RAI is a separate research organization focused on advancing robot capabilities.
• The reported acquisition comes alongside Hyundai's pursuit of SoftBank's remaining Boston Dynamics stake and separate reports of SoftBank talks to take control of 1X.

SoftBank has agreed to acquire the Robotics and AI Institute (RAI) from Hyundai Motor Group, according to The Robot Report, potentially bringing Boston Dynamics founder Marc Raibert's research organization under the Japanese investment group's ownership.

The September 18 report cites multiple sources and says the transaction is being reviewed by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). Financial terms and the review's progress were not disclosed. RAI declined to comment to the publication, while SoftBank had not responded at the time of publication.

That makes this a reported acquisition agreement, rather than a publicly confirmed or completed takeover.

A research institute with a familiar founder

RAI describes its mission as tackling fundamental problems in robotics and AI, with the aim of making machines more capable, dexterous and easier to use. Raibert serves as executive director, and the organization has offices in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Zurich.

Its stated approach combines elements of university research labs and corporate innovation groups. For SoftBank, the potential appeal would therefore extend beyond a particular robot: ownership could provide a research base for developing capabilities relevant to multiple machines and applications. That is a strategic reading of the proposed purchase; an integration plan has not been announced.

Two different transactions involving Hyundai

The report adds a twist to our earlier coverage of Hyundai's planned purchase of SoftBank's remaining Boston Dynamics stake.

In its July 16 statement, Hyundai said group shareholders were pursuing that acquisition after SoftBank exercised its put option—a contractual right to require a share purchase under specified conditions. Hyundai described governance and approval processes still underway, rather than a completed transaction.

The two moves concern separate organizations: Boston Dynamics develops commercial robots, including Atlas, while RAI pursues robotics research. Buying RAI would give SoftBank a different connection to Raibert's work as Hyundai seeks to consolidate ownership of Boston Dynamics.

Part of a wider robotics push

SoftBank's ambitions also extend to humanoid manufacturers. We previously covered reports of talks to acquire a majority stake in 1X at a roughly $6 billion valuation. Those reports concerned negotiations, not an announced acquisition.

There is a larger, formally announced industrial robotics deal in the background too: SoftBank agreed in October 2025 to buy ABB's robotics business for $5.375 billion. That announcement identified AI robots as a core investment area and made completion subject to regulatory approvals and other conditions.

Taken together, these developments suggest that reducing its Boston Dynamics exposure would not amount to a retreat from robotics. If the RAI deal proceeds, SoftBank would be adding fundamental research capacity alongside its pursuit of commercial robotics businesses. Whether those assets ultimately share technology, teams or products remains an open question.