Hexagon Robotics Collaborates with Microsoft to Scale Physical AI for Manufacturing

Hexagon Robotics Collaborates with Microsoft to Scale Physical AI for Manufacturing

(IN BRIEF) Hexagon Robotics and Microsoft have formed a strategic partnership to advance the development and deployment of industrial humanoid robots powered by Physical AI. By combining Hexagon’s robotics, sensor fusion, and spatial intelligence with Microsoft’s Azure-based AI and cloud platforms, the collaboration targets scalable, production-ready solutions for industries such as automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, and logistics. The partnership focuses on overcoming key deployment challenges and enabling adaptive, AI-driven automation from concept through to factory-floor operations.

(PRESS RELEASE) STOCKHOLM, 7-Jan-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Hexagon Robotics has entered into a strategic partnership with Microsoft to accelerate the development and industrial deployment of humanoid robots, with a shared focus on advancing Physical AI and adaptive manufacturing technologies.

Through the collaboration, the two companies will work closely to deliver production-ready humanoid robotic solutions designed for complex manipulation and inspection tasks. Initial applications will target sectors including automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, and logistics, where automation and workforce challenges are becoming increasingly critical.

The partnership brings together Hexagon Robotics’ expertise in sensor fusion, robotics, and spatial intelligence with Microsoft’s cloud and AI capabilities, including Microsoft Fabric Real-Time Intelligence, Azure IoT Operations, Azure App Service, and the broader Microsoft Azure platform. Together, the companies aim to enable scalable, data-driven robotics that can be deployed from early concept through to full factory-floor implementation.

A central objective of the collaboration is the scaling of Physical AI frameworks, encompassing imitation learning, reinforcement learning, and multimodal vision-language-action models. By addressing challenges such as data management, one-shot learning, and multimodal AI training, the partnership seeks to remove key barriers that have historically limited the large-scale deployment of humanoid robots in industrial environments.

Hexagon’s industrial humanoid robot, AEON, has already demonstrated real-time defect detection and operational intelligence capabilities as part of the collaboration, highlighting the potential of combining advanced sensing with cloud-based AI and analytics.

Arnaud Robert, President of Hexagon Robotics, said the partnership represents a major step toward building an autonomous future and addressing labour shortages across essential industries. He noted that collaboration with Microsoft strengthens Hexagon’s Physical AI roadmap and enables the delivery of high-performance, adaptable humanoid solutions tailored to real industrial needs.

Aaron Schnieder, Vice President of Engineering and Emerging Technologies at Microsoft, said the collaboration bridges the gap between advanced humanoid robotics innovation and real-world industrial impact. He highlighted how the integration of Hexagon’s sensor fusion and spatial intelligence with Microsoft Azure’s scalable AI infrastructure enables customers to deploy adaptive humanoid robots that support autonomous manufacturing across factory operations and global supply chains.

Together, Hexagon Robotics and Microsoft aim to enhance operational efficiency, improve resilience, and support workforce transformation by delivering intelligent, scalable, and autonomous robotic solutions across a wide range of industries.

About Hexagon:

Hexagon is the global leader in measurement technologies. We provide the confidence that vital industries rely on to build, navigate, and innovate. From microns to Mars, our solutions ensure productivity, quality, safety, and sustainability in everything from manufacturing and construction to mining and autonomous systems.

Hexagon (Nasdaq Stockholm: HEXA B) has approximately 24,800 employees in 50 countries and net sales of approximately 5.4bn EUR.

Learn more at hexagon.com.

Media Contacts: 

Deborah Thomas, VP Corporate Communications, Hexagon AB, media@hexagon.com

Megan Cowlbeck, Account Manager, MikeWorldWide, hexagon@mww.com, (+44)7910360145

SOURCE: Hexagon