Skild AI is a robotics artificial intelligence company founded in 2023 by Deepak Pathak and Abhinav Gupta, both robotics and machine learning professors at Carnegie Mellon University. The company is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and is building a general-purpose AI foundation model for physical robots.
Skild AI develops what it describes as an "omni-bodied" robot brain, a single model intended to control many different robot embodiments across diverse tasks. The approach learns scalably from large and varied data sources, including human videos, to address the data scarcity that limits traditional robotics.
The company has raised significant venture funding, including a large Series A reportedly led by Lightspeed Venture Partners with participation from Coatue, SoftBank, Bezos Expeditions, and others, reaching a unicorn valuation that reflects strong interest in robotic foundation models.
Skild AI differentiates itself by aiming for a generalist robot model rather than task- or platform-specific systems, positioning its brain as transferable across hardware. Its current focus areas include security and inspection robots, mobile manipulation, and autonomous packing.
The company targets robotics manufacturers and industrial operators seeking adaptable automation for dangerous or labor-intensive environments. It competes with other robotic foundation model startups and established robotics firms in an emerging market where generalization and real-world reliability remain key challenges.