PARK CITY, Utah — Rivian Automotive CEO RJ Scaringe is pursuing a distinct path in humanoid robotics, insisting Mind Robotics should operate independently from Rivian rather than a full-scale corporate shift into robotics. He told CNBC the plan is to keep Mind separate, even as Rivian takes a large equity stake and acts as a launch customer for Mind’s technology.
Mind Robotics, started last year, has raised more than $1 billion, according to Scaringe. The company aims to reveal its first product in less than a year, with Rivian as a large shareholder and early customer. Mind is already hiring, with roughly 20 open positions listed on its website spanning software and hardware engineering to data architecture.
Scaringe emphasized that the two ventures will remain distinct. “We have a deep relationship, and that was actually how we structured it,” he said, noting the arrangement lets him devote time to both companies. He argued the strategy aligns with a broader AI and robotics trajectory that could redefine manufacturing and labor.
Autonomy, Scaringe noted, is a critical technology in the context of Rivian’s and Tesla’s AI efforts. He said Mind will benefit significantly from data supplied by Rivian to train its AI models, with Rivian’s equity stake and Mind’s initial customer status shaping the collaboration.
Scaringe described a multitrillion-dollar total addressable market for industrial labor and projected a future where humanoids work alongside humans rather than replace them outright. He cautioned that it will take time for plants to become “dark factories” largely run by robots, leaving room for humans to handle more complex tasks.
He framed the broader opportunity as being born at the dawn of AI, arguing that people alive today are witnessing a pivotal moment. He also described the near-term tone of the robotics push as collaborative, not adversarial, with products evolving through ongoing development rather than immediate mass deployment.
Rivian’s staffing outlook reflects the growth area of robotics and automation, with the company listing more than 30 open manufacturing and engineering roles. Scaringe asserted the pace of AI advancement is accelerating faster than the general public appreciates, which will shape workforce dynamics in the near term.
In summary, Rivian’s leadership is pursuing a bifurcated approach to humanoids: spin Mind Robotics as an independent entity while leveraging Rivian’s data and manufacturing context to inform Mind’s early products. This strategy positions Rivian to be a major beneficiary of Mind’s AI-driven robotics advances without absorbing the full scope of a robotics-only enterprise.
