Iván Hernández Dalas: GrayMatter Robotics opens physical AI innovation center
GrayMatter has developed physical AI for finishing applications. Source: GrayMatter Robotics
GrayMatter Robotics today opened its new 100,000-sq.-ft. headquarters and innovation center in Carson, Calif. The company said it is a significant expansion and establishes what it called “the nation’s most advanced interactive robotics experience center for AI-powered manufacturing automation.”
“This facility represents more than just a headquarters — it is our commitment to bringing advanced manufacturing back to American soil and to the South Bay region specifically,” stated Ariyan Kabir, CEO of GrayMatter Robotics. “We chose Carson for its proximity to aerospace, marine, and other manufacturing clusters, access to world-class port infrastructure, and most importantly, its skilled workforce. This is where the factories of the future are being built.”
Kabir co-founded GrayMatter in 2020. The company said it provides physics-informed, artificial intelligence-driven robotic cells to help manufacturers tackle complex, ergonomically challenging surface-finishing tasks. These include sanding, grinding, buffing, polishing, blasting, and spraying. GreyMatter said its automation can help manufacturers of all sizes.
New facility addresses coding, variability challenges
GrayMatter Robotics said its state-of-the-art facility at 2226 E. 223rd St. includes substantial investments in facility buildout, advanced manufacturing equipment, and more than 25 active robotic cells.
The Carson facility serves as both headquarters and a proof of concept for solving a persistent challenge for American manufacturing — automating surface finishing and treatment in high-mix production environments where products vary constantly.
GrayMatter noted that traditional automation often requires more than 80 hours of programming per unique part, and it works only when repeatedly producing identical items. It said this limitation has left thousands of U.S. manufacturers unable to automate critical finishing operations, forcing continued reliance on manual labor for tasks that are increasingly difficult to staff.
GrayMatter provides automation for high-variability production. Source: GrayMatter Robotics
GrayMatter promises efficiency, quality
GrayMatter Robotics claimed that its systems reduce reliance on manual labor with the ability to:
- Scan and autonomously program themselves
- Adapt to part variations without human intervention
- Operate 1.5 to four times faster than manual operations while improving quality
- Deploy in two to four months compared with 12 to 24 months for traditional automation
- Require no coding expertise — operators simply press a button
The technology is already delivering results at scale, said the company. Pierce Manufacturing Inc., one of North America’s leading fire apparatus manufacturers, has integrated GrayMatter’s systems into its production operations. The subsidiary of Oshkosh Corp. is expanding its deployment.
“Our early results with GrayMatter Robotics convinced us to expand the deployment,” said Bob Schulz, president of Pierce Manufacturing. “Visiting their Carson facility reinforced [that] we’re collaborating with a company that has the vision and capability to scale alongside us.”
Interactive experience includes over 25 robotic cells
Unlike traditional corporate facilities, GrayMatter Robotics said its new headquarters features more than 25 robotic workcells actively performing real manufacturing operations on current and prospective customer and partner parts.
The interactive experience center allows visitors — from potential customers to students — to see firsthand how AI-powered robots autonomously sand, grind, polish, buff, spray, blast, and inspect parts across diverse materials and geometries. GrayMatter said this reflects an optimal teaming of humans, robots, and AI.
“We wanted to demystify industrial robotics,” said Brual Shah, co-founder and chief technology officer of GrayMatter. “Visitors can literally watch a robot scan a part it’s never seen before, autonomously program itself in under a minute, and begin processing that part with precision that exceeds human capability. It’s manufacturing intelligence in action.”
GrayMatter says its technology makes programming robots easier. Source: GrayMatter Robotics
Physical AI to power the factories of the future
While much of the AI revolution has focused on digital intelligence — chatbots, image generation, and data analysis — GrayMatter Robotics asserted that demand is growing for “physical AI” to power the factories of the future. The company defined it as “AI that interacts with and manipulates the physical world through robotic systems.”
GrayMatter claimed that its proprietary GMR-AI technology “represents a fundamentally different approach than traditional industrial automation.” Robots using established physics models to understand forces, materials, geometries, and tool behaviors can operate safely and accurately even with parts they have not encountered before, the company said.
“Physical AI is a different kind of AI. It significantly expands upon digital AI we’ve seen explode over the past few years,” explained Satyandra K. Gupta, co-founder and chief scientist at GrayMatter. “Physical AI focuses on AI to make decisions in physical applications.”
“While a language model can write you an essay, our physical AI can autonomously figure out how to finish a never-before-seen aerospace component to aerospace-grade specifications,” said Gupta, who spoke at RoboBusiness last week. “That’s AI operating in the physical realm with real-world consequences.”
The company said it is advancing physical AI as “the next wave of AI — one that will transform how products are actually made, not just designed or marketed.” Physical AI has implications beyond manufacturing efficiency, as it must account for:
- Real-world variability in materials and part dimensions
- Safety constraints when operating near humans
- Force feedback and tactile sensing
- Continuous learning from physical tool-part interactions
- Guarantees of performance in a wide variety of conditions
GrayMatter’s approach earned it recognition from Fast Company, which named it one of the Most Innovative Companies in Robotics and Engineering for 2025. It said the company is “tackling one of manufacturing’s toughest challenges: automating tasks in environments where every product is different.”
Investors validate market opportunity for AI robotics
GrayMatter Robotics last year raised $45 million in Series B funding toward its $85 million total. Wellington Management, one of the world’s largest investment management firms, led the Series B round.
“High-mix manufacturing represents a significant portion of U.S. production, yet it’s been largely inaccessible to automation,” said Sean Petersen, sector lead for private climate investing at Wellington Management.
“GrayMatter Robotics has cracked the code and is building the infrastructure for more advanced automated factories,” he added. “This represents a promising and potentially category-defining opportunity.”
GrayMatter partners with FANUC and 3M
GrayMatter Robotics has strategic partnerships with leading companies in robotics hardware and materials science. FANUC provides the industrial robots that use GrayMatter’s physical AI, while 3M’s advanced abrasives technology integrates with the company’s intelligent systems.
“GrayMatter Robotics combines deep expertise in AI-driven automation solutions with a strong understanding of the challenges manufacturers face on the shop floor,” said Mike Cicco, president and CEO of FANUC America. “We’ve seen how their technologies — built on FANUC’s innovative and reliable robotic platforms — can significantly improve productivity, enhance ergonomics, and streamline operations. The opening of GrayMatter Robotics’ new headquarters reflects their growth and demonstrates their commitment to reshaping industrial automation.”
“We are excited to continue and expand our collaboration with GrayMatter Robotics, a partnership that highlights 3M’s commitment to empowering customers with user-friendly automated abrasive processing systems,” stated Alejandro Martinez, president of 3M’s Abrasives Systems Division. “By combining 3M’s expertise in abrasive products and processes with GrayMatter’s intelligent automation solutions, we can deliver enhanced value through consistent and quality results to our shared customers.”
New facility to create jobs in manufacturing hub
GrayMatter Robotics said its Carson headquarters and innovation center will create more than 100 jobs in engineering, AI and machine learning development, robotics integration, and operations. The company could add hundreds of more skilled positions as it scales and demonstrates the viability of advanced manufacturing in Southern California.
Carson is close to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, as well as major aerospace manufacturers Northrop Grumman, Boeing, and SpaceX. In addition, the new facility can benefit from the region’s manufacturing history, supplier ecosystem, and skilled workforce, it said.
“The South Bay region offers the perfect combination of Los Angeles–area resources with a focused manufacturing and logistics ecosystem,” said Kabir. “Carson specifically provides the infrastructure, workforce, and collaborative environment we need to scale our impact on American manufacturing.”
The new facility also offers easy access to the I-405, I-110, and I-710 freeways, said GrayMatter. The company said it plans to support local businesses and partner with local schools and colleges on robotics and AI training programs.
“We’re seeing renewed interest in manufacturing careers because of technology like this,” noted Kabir. “Young engineers want to work on cutting-edge AI and robotics. Experienced manufacturing professionals see opportunity to upskill into advanced automation roles. We’re not replacing workers — we’re elevating them.”
The company said its “factory-as-a-service” model, which eliminates upfront capital expenditures, has made advanced automation more accessible to small and midsize manufacturers, helping to reverse decades of manufacturing decline in the U.S.
GrayMatter plans to hire to continue scaling. Source: GrayMatter Robotics
GrayMatter plans for growth
With its new facility operational, GrayMatter Robotics said it plans to extend its physical AI to applications beyond surface finishing. The company said it will increase its own manufacturing capacity, continue AI development, and grow its customer base.
GrayMatter also plans to use the facility as a venue for workforce development initiatives, hosting student tours, technical workshops, and industry conferences to advance physical AI and intelligent manufacturing.
“Five years ago, what we’re doing was considered impossible,” said Kabir. “Today, it’s transforming manufacturing. Five years from now, physical AI will be as fundamental to production as digital automation is today. This facility is where we’re building that future.”
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