Meta Buys Robotics Startup to Bolster Its Humanoid AI Ambitions
Meta has acquired the humanoid robotics startup Assured Robot Intelligence (ARI) for an undisclosed sum, adding its team to the company’s Superintelligence Labs research division. ARI specializes in foundation models that enable robots to understand, predict, and adapt to human behavior for tasks such as household chores. The move builds on Meta’s multi‑year effort to develop humanoid robots, a strategy highlighted in internal memos and recent hiring. Industry analysts see the acquisition as a step toward training AI in the physical world, a path many view as essential for achieving artificial general intelligence.
The Company Behind ClassPass and Mindbody Just Got a Lot Bigger with a $7.5B Merger
Playlist, the owner of ClassPass, Mindbody and Booker, completed a merger with smart‑gym equipment maker EGYM, creating a fitness and wellness conglomerate valued at $7.5 billion. The combined entity now spans B2B software, consumer class‑booking, AI‑driven workout plans and corporate wellness,...
Anthropic Acquires Computer-Use AI Startup Vercept After Meta Poached One of Its Founders
Anthropic announced the acquisition of Vercept, a Seattle‑based AI startup known for its computer‑use agent Vy, and will retire the product by March 25. Vercept, which raised $50 million from investors including Eric Schmidt and Jeff Dean, joins Anthropic’s Claude Code team following a...
Alphabet-Owned Robotics Software Company Intrinsic Joins Google
Alphabet-owned Intrinsic, a robotics‑software specialist, is joining Google while remaining a distinct entity. The integration will link Intrinsic’s Flowstate platform and Vision AI model with Google DeepMind, Gemini AI models, and Google Cloud services. Earlier, Intrinsic expanded through acquisitions of...
Etsy Sells Secondhand Clothing Marketplace Depop to eBay for $1.2B
Etsy announced it will sell its second‑hand fashion app Depop to eBay for $1.2 billion in cash. Depop, which posted roughly $1 billion in gross merchandise volume and 7 million active buyers in 2025, was acquired by Etsy in 2021 for $1.62 billion. The...