Google Absorbs Intrinsic Robotics to Build the 'Android of Robots'

Out of 'Other Bets,' Into Google

Intrinsic, Alphabet's robotics software company, officially joined Google as a division on February 25, ending its run as a standalone Other Bets company. The move, after nearly five years of independent operation, signals Google's intent to treat robotics as a core business rather than an experimental venture.

What Intrinsic Does

Intrinsic builds software that makes industrial robots easier to program and deploy. Its flagship product, Flowstate, is a web-based platform that lets users create robotic applications without writing thousands of lines of code. Current partners include FANUC, Universal Robots, and KUKA—major players in factory automation.

The Android Playbook for Robotics

Google aims to make Intrinsic the Android of robotics. Just as Android provides a universal app platform across phones from Samsung, Motorola, and Xiaomi, Flowstate is designed to run across different robot hardware from multiple manufacturers. Integration into Google gives Intrinsic direct access to Gemini AI, Google Cloud compute, and DeepMind research.

The Physical AI Opportunity

McKinsey projects the general-purpose robot market could reach $370 billion by 2040. As AI moves from chat interfaces into the physical world, Google is betting that the software platform layer will capture significant value alongside the models themselves.

Gemini Robotics Foundation

In mid-2025, Google DeepMind debuted Gemini Robotics and Gemini Robotics-ER, bringing generative AI reasoning directly into robot control commands. Intrinsic's integration means those models now have a production-ready software stack to run on across real industrial hardware.

Source: TechCrunch