Fujitsu partners with FANUC, Yaskawa, Kawasaki on NVIDIA-powered physical AI
Three Japanese robotics giants join Fujitsu to build a sovereign collaborative control platform for physical AI.
Fujitsu today announced a joint exploration with FANUC, Yaskawa Electric, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries to advance physical AI — AI that can perceive real-world data, analyze it, and execute physical actions. The partnership will integrate NVIDIA's open physical AI technologies to build a sovereign collaborative control platform, enabling robots from different manufacturers to work together safely and efficiently.
The initiative targets three key sectors: factory solutions for optimizing production planning and autonomous on-site adaptation; retail and logistics through automated material handling driven by real-time sales data; and healthcare using robots for medication transport, specimen delivery, and patient guidance. By standardizing interfaces and ensuring cybersecurity, Fujitsu aims to accelerate Japan's industrial competitiveness amid labor shortages and an aging population.
- Partners include FANUC (factory automation), Yaskawa (motors/robotics), and Kawasaki Heavy Industries (industrial robots).
- Platform will use NVIDIA's physical AI tech for real-time perception, decision-making, and control across robots.
- Three initial sectors: manufacturing, logistics/retail, and healthcare — all facing severe labor shortages in Japan.
Why It Matters
A unified physical AI platform could automate complex tasks across industries, addressing Japan's demographic crisis and boosting global competitiveness.