Fanuc joins forces with Nvidia to drive physical AI in industrial robots
19 March 2026 
Fanuc, the Japanese supplier of industrial robots and factory automation systems, is collaborating with Nvidia to advance physical AI, which merges AI with physical robotics to produce machines that see, reason and act in dynamic environments. They say that the collaboration will combine Fanuc’s strength in robotics with Nvidia’s AI and simulation expertise to deliver intelligent, adaptable automation for factories of the future.
Under the collaboration, Fanuc will use Nvidia’s AI infrastructure in its robots and Roboguide simulation software, allowing manufacturers to create photorealistic digital twins of their factories, to train robots virtually, and to deploy them quickly and flexibly.
“Physical AI is the next frontier in industrial automation,” says Mike Cicco, president and CEO of Fanuc America. “By collaborating with Nvidia, we’re giving manufacturers the tools to deploy intelligent robotics faster and align virtual design with real-world production.”
The combined platform will offer:
- Digital twin integration Combining Fanuc’s Roboguide software with Nvidia’s Isaac Sim robotic simulation framework and Omniverse libraries will allow manufacturers to simulate entire production lines, validate workflows, and optimise performance before they deploy any hardware, thus cutting their commissioning times and costs.
- Ultra-high-speed streaming motion This will enable precise, responsive control of robot joints and end-effectors to achieve smooth trajectories and dynamic path adjustments.
- An open platform Fanuc has released an ROS 2 driver and supports Python in its robots with payloads from 3kg to 2.3 tonnes, simplifying the building of AI-driven applications.
- Real-time intelligence Combining Fanuc’s reliability with Nvidia’s Jetson edge modules and AI-accelerated computing will enable robots to adapt to variability, execute complex tasks, and deliver higher throughputs.
“Manufacturers are increasingly seeking physical AI solutions that bridge the gap between virtual simulation and real-world production to overcome labour shortages and increase operational efficiency,” says Murali Gopalakrishna, general manager of robotics at Nvidia. “By integrating Nvidia’s AI and simulation platforms with Fanuc’s robotics expertise, we are providing developers with the tools to build and deploy intelligent, adaptable automation at scale.”
Fanuc is also enhancing how operators interact with automation. It is using Nvidia AI to enable robots to interpret voice commands and generate Python code automatically, allowing operators to give verbal instructions to cut set-up times, enabling more employees to adjust processes without needing specialised programming skills, and supporting rapid reconfiguration of production workflows.
Fanuc says that these capabilities will give manufacturers new ways to overcome labour shortages and meet growing demands for customisation and efficiency. By combining virtual training, open-source frameworks and real-time AI inference, manufacturers will be able to modernise their operations with greater flexibility, it adds.
