SoftBank acquires another major player! It will spend over $5 billion to acquire the robotics business of Swiss ABB Group

ABB, a leading global industrial technology company, announced on Wednesday that it has signed an agreement with SoftBank Group, a renowned Japanese investment institution, to sell its robotics business to SoftBank for US$5.375 billion.

This decision marks ABB's decision to abandon its original plan to spin off the business into a standalone, publicly listed company, opting instead for a direct sale to optimize its business structure. The transaction, which is subject to antitrust review and other customary closing conditions in relevant countries and regions, is expected to close in mid- to late 2025.

Commenting on the transaction, ABB Chairman Peter Voser emphasized that this divestiture will not only deliver immediate and significant value to ABB shareholders but also represents a key step in ABB's focus on its long-term strategic direction. ABB will further strengthen its core competencies in electrification and automation and consolidate its global market leadership.

SoftBank Group Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son outlined the acquisition's strategic intentions. He pointed out that "the next frontier SoftBank is targeting is physical AI." He said that SoftBank looks forward to working with ABB's outstanding team and technical resources accumulated in the field of robotics, integrating the world's top technical capabilities and talent advantages, and promoting the deep integration of super artificial intelligence and robotics technology, thereby leading disruptive innovation across industries.

This acquisition is the latest important move by SoftBank in the field of artificial intelligence, fully demonstrating Masayoshi Son's grand vision of building a full-chain artificial intelligence ecosystem that spans robotics, data centers, clean energy, and advanced chip manufacturing.

By incorporating the robotics business into its technology portfolio, SoftBank has not only expanded its influence in the fields of intelligent manufacturing and smart devices, but also laid a solid foundation for realizing its long-term strategy of "AI driving the world."