In the high-stakes world of artificial intelligence,
we often talk about LLMs like ChatGPT or Claude. But while those models live behind computer screens, a new kind of "Ghost" is entering the physical world.
According to recent reports, Skild AI is in advanced talks with SoftBank and Nvidia for a massive funding round of over $1 billion. This deal would skyrocket the startup’s valuation to a staggering $14 billion—a massive leap from its $4.7 billion valuation just a few months ago.
But why is the world’s most powerful chipmaker and the world’s most aggressive tech investor putting this much capital into a company most people haven't even heard of?
The Pivot to "Robot-Agnostic" Intelligence:
Most robotics companies fail because they try to build everything: the metal legs, the motors, and the software. Skild AI is doing something different. They are building a foundation model for robotics—essentially a universal brain that can be "plugged into" any machine.
Whether it’s a two-legged humanoid, a four-legged "dog" bot, or an industrial arm in a warehouse, Skild’s software, known as Skild Brain, allows it to perceive, reason, and act in the real world without needing custom code for every single movement.
Why Investors are Betting the House:
The Nvidia Factor: For Nvidia, this isn't just about money. Training these "robot brains" requires massive amounts of compute. By backing Skild, Nvidia ensures its chips remain the bedrock of physical automation.
SoftBank’s "Omni-Bodied" Vision: Masayoshi Son has been vocal about his goal to find the "Artificial Super Intelligence" (ASI). After SoftBank’s recent $5.4 billion acquisition of ABB’s robotics business, Skild AI provides the software needed to make all that hardware actually smart.
A "Multiverse" of Training: Skild AI recently revealed they train their models using 100,000 different simulated robots across "millennia of simulated time." This allows the AI to learn how to move and interact with objects in a fraction of the time it would take in the real world.
A Crowded Field of Giants:
The $14 billion price tag puts Skild AI at the top of a very elite list. To understand the scale, look at how the competition stacks up:
Company Valuation Focus Key Backers
-Figure AI: $39 Billion: Humanoid Robots OpenAI, : Microsoft, Nvidia
-Skild AI: $14 Billion: General-Purpose Software : SoftBank, vidia, Jeff Bezos
- 1X : $10 Billion: Humanoids/Safety: : OpenAI, Tiger Global
- Physical Intelligence:$5.6 Billion: Robot "Brain : CapitalG (Alphabet),Thrive
The Future: A General Operating System for Reality:
We are moving away from the era of "Single-Task Robots" (machines that only do one thing) toward "General-Purpose Robots." Skild AI’s vision is a future where a manufacturer can buy a generic robot body and simply license the "Skild Brain" to make it functional.
As robotics software vendors: begin to align with the new ISO 10218:2025 safety standards for human-robot collaboration, the leap from the lab to the living room is closer than we think. The "Ghost in the Machine" is finally getting a brain—and it’s worth billions.
What do you think?
Is $14 billion too high for a software startup: that doesn't build its own hardware, or is the "Brain" the most valuable part of the robotics puzzle? Let's discuss in the comments!
