BlackBerry’s CEO John Giamatteo is weighing in on robotics, saying that it’s one of the fastest-growing businesses within its software division. The company prepares for a future driven by physical AI, as noted by the top executive in an interview with CNBC. BlackBerry has moved on from its iconic keyboard phones to focus on other key areas.
BlackBerry CEO says robotics is one of its fastest-growing businesses
One of its biggest businesses is QNX, which provides safety-critical software for cars. It powers everything from braking systems to semi-autonomous driving features. The software has become a strong player in the safety-critical automotive software market and is now used in 275 million vehicles, as per BlackBerry.
CEO John Giamatteo says QNX is also making its way into robotics. “We think that could be even a faster-growing segment of the industry for things like robotics,” Giamatteo told CNBC’s “The Tech Download” podcast.
The company won’t apparently focus on humanoid robots like the ones gaining attention in China. Instead, BlackBerry CEO John Giamatteo pointed to industrial robots used in warehouses, robotic forklifts, and medical applications. Furthermore, Giamatteo sees robotics, medical instruments, and industrial automation as major growth opportunities for BlackBerry beyond the automotive sector. He also believes the company’s QNX software is in a good position to support these applications.
Its QNX software can play a key role
Robotics is one of the fastest-growing areas within BlackBerry’s QNX business, per the CEO. The company apparently has a $950 million backlog of QNX orders, and a portion of that is robotics. However, BlackBerry did not disclose the exact figure. Its stock has also doubled this year as margins and profitability improve. The company has positioned itself for future growth areas like robotics and autonomous cars. These are examples of physical AI.
Newer generations of robots can combine specialized hardware with artificial intelligence models and other software. BlackBerry believes its QNX software can play a key role, considering its experience in the automotive space.
In April, BlackBerry also expanded its partnership with NVIDIA. This will bring its software alongside NVIDIA’s systems in robotics, medical technologies, and industrial applications. “Robotics is going to shift in a hardcore way, and we couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity in front of us,” Giamatteo said.
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