Robotics is one of them. blackberriesThe CEO told CNBC that the company is positioning itself for the future of physical AI, the fastest growing business of any major software division.
BlackBerry was once one of the world’s largest cell phone manufacturers, creating iconic cell phones with keyboards, but over the years it has pivoted to focus on other areas. One of the company’s biggest businesses is QNX, which it calls “safety-critical” software that runs inside cars.
QNX provides the operating system and other embedded software that underpins features ranging from braking systems to some semi-autonomous driving features.
According to BlackBerry, QNX has become a strong player in safety-critical automotive software and is installed in 275 million vehicles. CEO John Giamatteo said QNX is currently being used in robotics.
“I think there are areas like robotics that have the potential to become even faster-growing areas,” Giamatteo said on CNBC’s The Tech Download podcast.
There is no focus on humanoid robots, such as those that have been attracting attention in China recently. Instead, the CEO mentioned robots in industrial settings, such as warehouses, robotic forklifts, and robots used in the medical field.
“As excited as we are about the dynamics of the automotive industry and where it’s going, these other applications around robotics, medical devices, and industrial automation represent significant growth opportunities. And we think BlackBerry and our QNX portfolio are very well positioned to address that,” Giamatteo said.
The CEO said robotics is one of the company’s “fastest growing businesses in the QNX portfolio.”
The company has a backlog of QNX orders worth $950 million, “part of which is robotics,” he added. The CEO declined to provide specific figures regarding robot-related orders.
BlackBerry’s stock price has doubled this year on the back of improved margins and profitability. The company is positioning itself for future growth areas such as robotics and self-driving cars, which are often referred to as examples of physical AI.
BlackBerry’s stock price since the beginning of the year.
New generations of robots can combine specialized hardware with artificial intelligence models and other software. BlackBerry believes QNX software has an advantage based on its experience in the automotive space.
In April, BlackBerry announced an expansion of its partnership with. Nvidia It deploys its software alongside Nvidia’s systems in robotics, medical technology, and industrial applications.
“Robotics is about to change in a serious way…and we couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity before us,” Giamatteo said.
