SoftBank Robotics

SoftBank is putting $18 billion into the development of robot security guards, a major wager on autonomous machines taking over surveillance and patrol work. The investment signals the Japanese tech conglomerate's continued push into robotics and artificial intelligence, and has drawn attention from analysts weighing whether automated security can become a large commercial market.

SoftBank is pursuing an acquisition of the largest security guard company in the United States, with plans to deploy robots across its operations. The deal would mark another major bet by the Japanese tech investor on automation, potentially replacing or supplementing human guards with robotic systems at commercial sites nationwide.