SoftBank Negotiates Majority Stake in 1X
SoftBank is in talks to acquire a majority stake in humanoid robot developer 1X Technologies at an approximately $6 billion valuation, Reuters reported on August 27, citing The Information. Reuters said the discussions remain ongoing and terms could change. SoftBank declined to comment, while 1X did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.
SoftBank is in talks to acquire a majority stake in 1X Technologies, an OpenAI-backed humanoid robotics developer, in a transaction valuing the startup at about $6 billion, Reuters reported on August 27, citing The Information.
Reuters reported that the negotiations are ongoing and that the terms could change. SoftBank declined to comment on the report, and 1X did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.
Prior ties and robotics expansion
According to Reuters, OpenAI and 1X discussed a possible acquisition by the ChatGPT maker last year. OpenAI invested in 1X in 2023 through the OpenAI Startup Fund alongside Tiger Global and Norway-based investors, Reuters reported.
Reuters also placed the reported 1X talks within SoftBank's broader robotics activity, noting that SoftBank agreed last year to acquire ABB's robotics business. The reporting does not establish whether a 1X transaction will be completed, its final valuation, or the governance terms attached to a potential majority stake.
What the reported valuation means
Humanoid systems combine perception, control, manipulation, hardware reliability, and large-scale data collection, making commercialization substantially more capital-intensive than a software-only AI product.
Across comparable robotics investments, majority transactions can concentrate funding and governance around a single owner while leaving technical teams focused on long development and deployment cycles. For ML and robotics practitioners, the material questions in any completed deal would concern the resources available for data collection, simulation, training infrastructure, and real-world evaluation, none of which were disclosed in the current reporting.
Key Points
- 1Reuters reports SoftBank is discussing a majority investment in 1X at a roughly $6 billion valuation, though terms remain unsettled.
- 2OpenAI's 2023 Startup Fund investment links the transaction to a humanoid robotics developer backed by prominent AI investors.
- 3Majority acquisitions can concentrate capital and governance, an industry pattern relevant to robotics firms with long development cycles.
Scoring Rationale
A potential majority acquisition at a $6 billion valuation would be a notable capital and ownership development in humanoid robotics. The transaction remains unconfirmed and its technical or operational terms have not been disclosed, limiting immediate implications for practitioners.
Sources
Public references used for this report.
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