Travis Kalanick, former Uber CEO, has launched a new startup called Atoms focused on specialized industrial robotics for mining, transport, and food sectors. The company, an expansion of his previous venture City Storage Systems, bets that task-specific robots are key to improving industrial productivity and offer a clearer path to profitability than general-purpose humanoids.
The startup will be organized into three divisions: Atoms Food, Atoms Mining, and Atoms Transport. Kalanick described this move as a return to his calling after leaving Uber, emphasizing the development of physical AI systems to automate real-world tasks.
The main topics covered are the launch of the Atoms startup, its focus on specialized industrial robotics, its organizational structure, and the context of Kalanick's departure from Uber.
Travis Kalanick, the co-founder and former chief executive of Uber, on Friday launched his startup, Atoms, focused on specialized industrial robotics designed to automate tasks in the mining, transport and food sectors.
Kalanick is betting that task-specific machines are the key âto improving â industrial productivity. â He is expanding and renaming City Storage Systems, the startup âhe started building after leaving the ride-hailing giant.
"Gainfully employed robots are the âmachines best suited for the job at hand, that can make a living doing it," Kalanick said in a âstatement.
Interest has been rising in specialized â robots as âthey could offer a clear path to profitability, given the stress on automation across industries â such as transport and waste management.
General-purpose humanoid robotics âfaces challenges such as how to teach âmachines to navigate unpredictable environments and develop sophisticated reasoning abilities.
Kalanick said Atoms will be organized into Atoms Food, providing infrastructure for the food industry, Atoms Mining, focusing on increasing mine productivity, and Atoms Transport, which âhe described as a "wheelbase for robots."
He had resigned as CEO of Uber in 2017 due âto pressure âfrom investors, capping â a tumultuous period for the ride-services company. In 2019, he left the company board.
Kalanick wrote on the startup's website that âhe was "heartbroken" after he had left Uber and now he was back to his "calling" of building atoms-based computers, which are specialized systems using physical artificial intelligence to automate tasks in the real world.
Kalanick is betting that task-specific machines are the key âto improving â industrial productivity. â He is expanding and renaming City Storage Systems, the startup âhe started building after leaving the ride-hailing giant.
"Gainfully employed robots are the âmachines best suited for the job at hand, that can make a living doing it," Kalanick said in a âstatement.
Interest has been rising in specialized â robots as âthey could offer a clear path to profitability, given the stress on automation across industries â such as transport and waste management.
General-purpose humanoid robotics âfaces challenges such as how to teach âmachines to navigate unpredictable environments and develop sophisticated reasoning abilities.
Kalanick said Atoms will be organized into Atoms Food, providing infrastructure for the food industry, Atoms Mining, focusing on increasing mine productivity, and Atoms Transport, which âhe described as a "wheelbase for robots."
He had resigned as CEO of Uber in 2017 due âto pressure âfrom investors, capping â a tumultuous period for the ride-services company. In 2019, he left the company board.
Kalanick wrote on the startup's website that âhe was "heartbroken" after he had left Uber and now he was back to his "calling" of building atoms-based computers, which are specialized systems using physical artificial intelligence to automate tasks in the real world.
Meridiano
