On August 27, The Information reported, citing informed sources, that SoftBank is in talks to acquire a majority stake in the startup 1X Technologies, a humanoid robot development company backed by OpenAI. This deal would value the company at approximately $6 billion. The investment will support SoftBank's ambitions in the robotics sector while providing 1X with additional funding to bring its robots, designed with flexible bodies, into consumer households to assist users with household chores. The 12-year-old startup attempted to raise $1 billion at a $10 billion valuation last fall but reportedly raised less than half of its target. SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son has long been an investor and owner in robotics developers. He predicts that physical devices combining robotics and artificial intelligence will give rise to the next trillion-dollar company. Another indication is that OpenAI reportedly discussed the possibility of acquiring 1X last year, but negotiations ultimately fell through.