# Unpacking Amazon’s unique Covariant AI deal

- Show: [The Robot Report Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast)
- Published: 2024-09-07
- Length: 1h 05m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2024-09-07-unpacking-amazons-unique-covariant-ai-deal
- Listen: https://soundcloud.com/robot-report-podcast/unpacking-amazons-unique-covariant-ai-acquisition

## Summary

Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman discuss Amazon's acquisition of Covariant AI talent and 1X's NEO Beta humanoid, featuring insights from Brad Porter, CEO of Collaborative Robotics. Porter, a former Amazon robotics leader, explains that Amazon's move is primarily an acqui-hire to secure top ML talent for building robotic foundation models, rather than acquiring Covariant's existing technology. The hosts also review July's $1.3B in robotics funding, highlighting investments in Monarch Robotics, Seegrid, and Swiss Mile, while debating the viability of home deployment for humanoids like 1X's NEO Beta.

## Chapters

- [0:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2024-09-07-unpacking-amazons-unique-covariant-ai-deal#t=8) Introduction: Robot Report Podcast and Indy Autonomous Challenge
- [7:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2024-09-07-unpacking-amazons-unique-covariant-ai-deal#t=431) 1X NEO Beta Humanoid and Home Pilot Deployments
- [14:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2024-09-07-unpacking-amazons-unique-covariant-ai-deal#t=873) July Robotics Funding Report: $1.3B and Key Deals
- [24:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2024-09-07-unpacking-amazons-unique-covariant-ai-deal#t=1471) Brad Porter on Amazon's History and Robotics Scale
- [30:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2024-09-07-unpacking-amazons-unique-covariant-ai-deal#t=1853) The Case for Robotic Foundation Models and Amazon's Strategy
- [44:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2024-09-07-unpacking-amazons-unique-covariant-ai-deal#t=2675) Collaborative Robotics: Hardware Strategy and AI Uncertainty
- [56:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2024-09-07-unpacking-amazons-unique-covariant-ai-deal#t=3384) Closing Thoughts on the Covariant Deal and Kobot's Progress

## Topics

- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises, early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Covariant AI (company)
- 1X (company)
- NEO Beta (product)
- Collaborative Robotics (company)
- Monarch Robotics (company)
- Seegrid (company)
- Swiss Mile (company)
- Amazon (company)
- Boston Dynamics (company)
- Unitree (company)
- ETH Zurich (other)

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- [The $100 Million AI Talent War: Meta vs OpenAI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale/2025-07-04-the-100-million-ai-talent-war-meta-vs-openai) (Built 2 Scale)
- [Google I/O 2025 AI Bombshell, Nvidia’s $50 Trillion Robot Bet & Coinbase Hacked](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale/2025-05-23-google-i-o-2025-ai-bombshell-nvidias-50-trillion-robot-bet-coinbase-hacked) (Built 2 Scale)
- [BONUS: Leaders in Machine Vision and Robotics: Live from Boston, Pt. 2 of 2 (brought to you by A3)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-12-23-bonus-leaders-in-machine-vision-and-robotics-live-from-boston-pt-2-of-2-brought) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Electronica 24: The Rise of AI-Powered Robotics at Fideltronik and Beyond](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-12-09-electronica-24-the-rise-of-ai-powered-robotics-at-fideltronik-and-beyond) (EMS@C-LEVEL)

## Citing this page

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