Amazon Welcomes Covariant Founders: Pioneers of AI-Driven Robotics Join the Team

Amazon announced on Friday that it has hired Covariant’s founders—Pieter Abbeel, Peter Chen, and Rocky Duan—along with approximately 25% of the startup's workforce. Additionally, Amazon secured a non-exclusive license to utilize Covariant’s advanced robotic foundation models.

Earlier this year, Chen shared insights about Covariant’s mission, stating that the company is developing “a large language model, but for robot language.” This innovative approach focuses on creating AI models specifically designed for robots, initially targeting robotic arms to perform essential warehouse tasks such as bin picking.

Joseph Quinlivan, vice president of Amazon Fulfillment Technologies & Robotics, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, saying, "By integrating some of the brightest minds in the field, we will enhance fundamental research and leverage our combined expertise to explore new ways AI and robots can support our operations teams." He emphasized that embedding Covariant's AI technology within Amazon’s existing robot fleet will enhance their performance and deliver tangible value to customers.

This move resembles Amazon’s earlier hiring of the founders of AI startup Adept in June, a strategic decision that allowed the tech giant to access new talent and cutting-edge technology without fully acquiring a startup.

The Verge referred to this strategy as a “reverse acquihire,” noting that tech giants under antitrust scrutiny might use hiring and licensing deals to obscure the nature of their acquisitions.

Covariant will continue to operate under the leadership of Ted Stinson and Tianhao Zhang. Stinson, who previously served as COO, will now take on the role of CEO. The company remains committed to deploying the Covariant Brain in production settings across a diverse range of global industries, including apparel, health and beauty, grocery, and pharmaceuticals.