In the fast-evolving venture capital landscape, the spotlight appears to be shifting away from chatbots and onto robotics. General AI, an emerging player in the robotics sector, is reportedly in the process of raising funds in a round that could see its valuation increase by 50% from just a month ago, potentially reaching $3 billion, according to insiders.
The investment round is anticipated to be led by the venture capital firm 8VC, though the discussions are ongoing, and specific terms may still change. Both General AI and 8VC have chosen not to comment on these developments.
This move highlights a broader trend of increased investment in "physical AI," which encompasses AI systems designed to operate effectively in the real world. General AI is competing with other notable startups in the sector, such as Physical Intelligence, now valued at over $11 billion, Skild AI at more than $14 billion, Field AI at around $2 billion, and Genesis AI, which is seeking funding potentially valuing it at $3 billion.
This latest funding push follows closely on the heels of General AI’s previous successful round in which it secured $400 million. That round, which placed the company's valuation at $2 billion, was spearheaded by Radical Ventures and saw contributions from key investors including 8VC, Union Square Ventures, Nvidia, and Bezos Expeditions.
Founded in 2024, General AI was established by a team that includes former researchers from Google DeepMind—Pete Florence and Andy Zeng—as well as Andrew Barry, a past roboticist at Boston Dynamics.
The startup has attracted attention from notable angel investors such as Bin Lin, cofounder of Xiaomi, Fei-Fei Li, a Stanford professor and cofounder of World Labs, and AngelList cofounder Naval Ravikant.
General AI specializes in developing the advanced AI “brains” that enable robots to operate effectively in diverse environments, whether in factories, labs, homes, or even outer space. Instead of producing robots itself, the company focuses on creating AI tools that allow machines to grasp and navigate the complexities of the physical world.
Their latest innovation, the GEN-1 model, is tasked with teaching robots fundamental physical tasks. General AI has showcased videos demonstrating its technology in action, featuring robots executing intricate activities such as folding laundry, sorting Lego bricks, and using kitchen utensils to prepare food.
