Amazon Snags Covariant Founders, Accelerating Its AI Robotics Drive

Amazon Picks Up Covariant Talent, Edges Closer to Robotic AI Revolution

Last Friday, Amazon announced a move that feels a lot like a blockbuster sequel: the company has onboarded the brains behind Covariant—Pieter Abbeel, Peter Chen, and Rocky Duan—plus roughly a quarter of the startup’s crew. On top of that, they’ve secured a non‑exclusive license to ride on the power of Covariant’s robotic foundation models.

What’s Covariant Up To?

Chen himself told TechCrunch earlier this year that Covariant is crafting a “large language model, but for robot language.” Picture a chatbot—only instead of chat, it’s flexing on dangerous robots that can rummage through warehouses, pick hard‑to‑reach bins, and manage inventory like a pro.

Voices from the Frontlines

• Joseph Quinlivan (Amazon’s VP of Fulfillment Technologies & Robotics) said:

  “With some of the smartest minds on board, we’ll push forward fundamental research, marrying our rich expertise to unlock new ways for AI and robots to assist our operations employees.”

• He added: “Embedding Covariant’s AI tech into our existing robot fleet will make them more performant and create real‑world value for our customers.”

Hitting the E‑Commerce Playbook Again

Amazon’s strategy isn’t a one‑off. Back in June, they tapped the founders of Adept—a similar move that secretly packed fresh talent and cutting‑edge tech without buying the whole startup. The Verge dubbed this a “reverse acquihire,” a neat trick for giants that want new skills while steering clear of antitrust headaches.

Keeping the Covariant Crew in Charge

Despite the takeover buzz, Covariant is staying true to its roots. Ted Stinson (the former COO) is stepping up as CEO, with Tianhao Zhang continuing to lead. They’re committed to “delivering the Covariant Brain into production environments across a broad set of global industries, including apparel, health and beauty, grocery, and pharmaceuticals.”

Bottom Line

Amazon’s latest recruitment is not just a grab for talent—it’s a strategic push into robotic AI, promising that their warehouse robots will soon be smarter, faster, and a lot less noisy. Meanwhile, Covariant keeps flying the flag on its own mission, ensuring the world sees robot brains that work for everyone.