Tech blogger Robert Scoble reported that Anthropic, the company led by Dario Amodei, attempted to acquire robotics startup Physical Intelligence, which his post valued at $11 billion. Physical Intelligence’s CEO responded to the claim with a Slack GIF showing a shaking‑head reaction, effectively denying the acquisition.
The Information later confirmed that the two parties held acquisition talks this spring.
What is known about Physical Intelligence
- The company has raised reportedly more than $1 billion in funding.
- Its π0.5 model is used in research labs around the world, according to the reports.
- One of its investors is OpenAI.
The $11 billion valuation appeared in the initial report by Robert Scoble; the combination of the CEO’s visual denial and independent reporting that talks occurred leaves the situation at a stage of confirmed discussions but no public deal.
Context: Amodei, Anthropic and OpenAI
Dario Amodei left OpenAI in 2021 with part of the safety team and subsequently founded Anthropic. Reporting around the matter highlights that OpenAI has spent the past four years rebuilding its robotics lab from scratch, while Anthropic during that period concentrated largely on safety research and public communications, including blog posts on topics such as a robot dog.
Against this backdrop, the recent acquisition talks draw attention because they involve a startup in which OpenAI is an investor and a company founded by former OpenAI staff now seeking to acquire it.
Why it matters
Acquisitions in robotics carry strategic weight for both technical capabilities and research resources. That Physical Intelligence has significant funding, an influential model used in labs, and backing that includes OpenAI — and that Anthropic reportedly engaged in talks to buy it — points to competition and realignment of assets within AI and robotics research.
Further official statements from the companies and more details about the negotiations would clarify the likelihood of any transaction and its potential implications for robotics and AI research.
