Emerging startup Physical Intelligence (Pi) isn’t aiming to build new robots; instead, it seeks to equip existing machines with AI that enables them to autonomously perform precise tasks requiring dexterity, like folding laundry or packing fragile items. This unique approach, showcased in Pi’s recent unveiling of its general-purpose robotic model, “π0” (pi-zero), opens up exciting possibilities for household automation and beyond.

San Francisco-based Physical Intelligence has developed pi-zero, a foundational AI model that powers robots to tackle tasks previously too complex for most machines. With this software, robots can manage chores such as removing clothes from the dryer, grinding coffee beans, and even setting the table. The vision? A home where robots can vacuum, load the dishwasher, make the bed, and even plan and cook dinner by analyzing fridge contents.

Pi’s pi-zero model combines a vast amount of data, training not only on text and images like typical language models but also on robotic actions, enabling it to generate low-level motor commands. This allows it to interact with and manipulate various objects and adapt to different robots. Pi explains, “Our goal is to create an artificial physical intelligence that allows users to prompt robots to perform any task, similar to how they interact with chatbots.” Pi-zero demonstrated 20 tasks, each involving different skill levels, as part of its initial testing phase.

The Pi team, including co-founders Karol Hausman, Sergey Levine, and Brian Ichter, have extensive experience in robotics research, with backgrounds at Google and Stanford. Their foundational model leverages 10,000 hours of manipulation data from seven different robot configurations across 68 tasks, integrating pre-existing datasets from platforms like OXE and DROID.

In comparison to specialist machines, which excel in single functions, Pi-zero represents the benefits of a generalist approach. Just as generalist species, like raccoons, can adapt to various environments, generalist robots could seamlessly navigate dynamic, real-world challenges, acquiring an array of versatile skills.

Despite its early development stage, Pi’s pi-zero model has the potential to address significant challenges in robotics, such as the high costs and time required for training machines on new physical tasks. The team believes that pi-zero could pave the way for affordable, adaptable robotics, helping realize the vision of machines that make daily life easier—fulfilling the promise of 20th-century futurists who dreamed of a future where robots would lighten the load of everyday chores.

Pi’s work serves as a reminder that while AI’s rise has stirred concerns in creative fields, it can also deliver practical, tangible benefits that enhance our quality of life. For those ready to embrace a future where robots handle the housework, Pi’s pi-zero may be the beginning of that reality.

By Impact Lab