Genesis AI, a robotics startup that secured a substantial $105 million seed funding round, has officially unveiled its inaugural AI model, GENE-26.5, alongside a groundbreaking set of in-house designed robotic hands. The company, backed by investors including Khosla Ventures, Eclipse, Bpifrance, HSG, and prominent individuals such as former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, initially focused on foundational AI for robotics. However, Genesis AI quickly recognized the critical need for direct control over hardware, prompting its strategic decision to evolve into a full-stack operation.

The distinctive feature of Genesis AI’s new robotic hands is their precise replication of human hand size and shape, a significant departure from the more common two-finger grippers prevalent in the robotics industry. This design choice is aimed at bridging the ’embodiment gap,’ allowing the robots to operate more effectively in real-world conditions and facilitating the collection of vastly more diverse and relevant data. Genesis AI President Théophile Gervet, a former research scientist at Mistral AI, emphasized that this approach enables the training of models capable of performing a wider array of complex tasks. Demonstrations have showcased the robots expertly handling intricate activities such as cooking (including cracking eggs and slicing tomatoes), preparing smoothies, playing the piano, and even laboratory procedures, hinting at potential commercial applications.

Further enhancing its data collection capabilities, Genesis AI has developed a sensor-laden glove that acts as a real-life counterpart to its robotic hand. This lightweight and cost-effective glove can be worn by individuals in various industries, from pharmaceutical lab technicians to manufacturing workers, allowing for the seamless collection of human skill data during daily tasks. The company also leverages ‘egocentric video data’ and massive amounts of human-based internet videos to build its ‘human skill library.’ While acknowledging potential concerns about workers wearing devices that could train future automated systems, Genesis AI suggests that compensation and data sharing agreements would be determined between its customers and their employees. The startup’s robust simulation system is also crucial, significantly accelerating model training and iteration speed for future versions, with GENE-26.5 hinting at a May 2026 target.

With offices established in Paris, London, and California, Genesis AI boasts a diverse team of 60 employees, strategically split between Europe and the U.S. The company attributes its European presence to the continent’s high talent density. Looking ahead, Genesis AI co-founder and CEO Zhou Xian has indicated plans to introduce its first general-purpose full-body robot soon, reaffirming the company’s overarching mission to develop the most capable robotic systems for a wide range of applications. This comprehensive approach to both AI and hardware underscores a significant advancement in the field of robotics.