Hitachi and Agile Robots Partner to Develop the ‘Brain’ for AI Robotics

Hitachi Ltd. announced on September 29, 2026, that it had formed a strategic co-creation partnership with Germany’s Agile Robots SE to develop the “brain” for AI robotics. Hitachi said it aims to combine its Physical AI technology with Agile Robots’ AI-powered robotics to enable autonomous execution of complex tasks in manufacturing settings. The companies also outlined plans to roll out the results globally through Hitachi’s HMAX Industry.

Hitachi’s plan links Physical AI, robots, edge AI semiconductors and HMAX Industry in a single system for complex manufacturing tasks. Because the focus is on how to translate on-site decision-making into learning and control, rather than on the performance of individual robots, how the components are combined is likely to matter for companies seeking to automate factories.

What is new in this partnership is that Hitachi is not presenting Physical AI as a standalone technology. Instead, it aims to connect it with Agile Robots’ robotic arms, mobile robots, humanoid “Agile ONE” and AgileCore to develop a “brain” for robotics that can operate in real-world environments. The initiative also builds on Hitachi’s longstanding framework for integrating operational technology, information technology and products, applying it to factory automation. In related articles, Physical AI News reported that Hitachi partnered with FANUC on Physical AI, with NHK reporting that the companies aim to put it into practical use next fiscal year, and that Hitachi and Agile Robots reached a basic agreement on co-creation. The latest primary information shows that the partnership covers tasks ranging from parts handling to product changeovers and transfers between processes, and includes edge AI semiconductors. In other words, the question is shifting from whether to install robots to how to integrate visual- and tactile-equivalent information processing, control software and on-site expertise. In terms of industry structure, Hitachi plans to develop Physical AI using data from its own factories and customer sites, then offer it externally through HMAX Industry. Agile Robots, meanwhile, offers not just robots but also software and a real-world data platform, making the partnership span hardware, control, training data and on-site deployment. Details that remain unclear include which processes will be implemented first, how responsibilities will be divided between the companies, what HMAX Industry will offer and under what conditions autonomous operation across an entire factory can be achieved.

According to Hitachi, the partnership will combine its Physical AI technology with Agile Robots’ robotics lineup, which serves sectors including automotive manufacturing, health care and data centers. The work will cover tasks that conventional automation has struggled to handle, including parts handling, machine loading, processing, assembly, product changeovers and transfers between processes. Hitachi said it will combine Physical AI technology, which can quickly learn complex tasks performed in factories, with edge AI semiconductors. Agile Robots cited its robotic arms, mobile robots, humanoid “Agile ONE” and AgileCore software platform for control and simulation.

Hitachi’s proposed system includes linking edge AI semiconductors and on-site data with control software, potentially making Japanese companies’ competitiveness depend not only on robot hardware but also on control, embedded systems and factory data management. A key question is which components, software and operational functions domestic companies can provide, particularly in areas such as process changeovers and material transport that are difficult to address with conventional fixed automation.