More Than Just a Chequebook
Let’s be clear. SoftBank didn’t just buy a company that makes big, metal arms. ABB has been a giant in industrial robotics for decades, its machines bolting together cars and packing boxes with relentless, dumb precision. They do exactly what they’re told, and not a jot more. What SoftBank is buying is a global distribution network for its real passion, artificial intelligence. They’re taking ABB’s world-class brawn and planning to inject it with a formidable AI brain.
Think of it this way. For years, factory robots have been like concert pianists who can only play one song, perfectly, over and over. SoftBank wants to turn them into jazz musicians, able to improvise, adapt, and react to the world around them. This deal signals a fundamental shift from automation that follows instructions to automation that makes decisions.