Google owner seeking to sell robot developer Boston Dynamics

[PARIS] Google's parent company Alphabet is seeking to sell its Boston Dynamics subsidiary specialised in developing and manufacturing robots, the Financial Times reported Friday.

"The move is part of an effort to refocus robotics efforts under its Google X unit", the newspaper said quoting sources familiar with the plans.

Financial agency Bloomberg, which also reported Alphabet intends to sell the company it acquired in 2013 as part of efforts to boost its efforts in robotics, cited two people with knowledge of the company's plans.

A spin-off from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston Dynamics was launched in 1992 and has received funding from the US government to develop robots for the military.

However executives at Alphabet "concluded that Boston Dynamics isn't likely to produce a marketable product in the next few years", according to Bloomberg.

It said Alphabet's efforts robot initiative "was plagued by leadership changes, failures to collaborate between companies and an unsuccessful effort to recruit a new leader".

Toyota and Amazon are seen as potential buyers of Boston Dynamics, said Bloomberg.

AFP