SoftBank Group Corp. is in talks to lead a US$500 million funding round for Skild AI, a Pittsburgh-based robotics software startup.

This investment could raise Skild AI’s valuation to US$4 billion, up from US$1.5 billion in 2024.

Founded in 2023 by Carnegie Mellon professors Deepak Pathak and Abhinav Gupta, Skild AI develops software enabling robots to perform complex tasks.

The startup is backed by investors such as Amazon, Menlo Ventures, and Sequoia Capital.

SoftBank has not commented on the negotiations, and Skild AI has yet to respond.

This potential deal underscores growing venture capital interest in AI and robotics.