SoftBank Pursues Acquisition of Security Firm Worth KRW 40 Trillion, Expanding Beyond Robotics
IT DAILY ·
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SoftBank Group is reviewing an acquisition of Allied Universal, a U.S. security and guarding services company.
Bloomberg reported that the equity value being discussed is up to USD 18 billion, while the total transaction value could approach USD 30 billion.
SoftBank is exploring ways to use robots in some security tasks through Allied Universal.
SoftBank Group is reviewing an acquisition of Allied Universal, a U.S. security and guarding services company. The review is seen as more than a simple purchase of a security firm, as it is closely tied to SoftBank Group's long-running investments in robotics technology and manufacturing capabilities.
If the acquisition goes through, attention is also expected to focus on the possibility that SoftBank Group could secure a robotics deployment services business. The key link in the acquisition rumor is said to be the combination of security services and AI robots.
Bloomberg reported on the 16th, citing people familiar with the matter, that SoftBank Group is reviewing the acquisition. The equity value being discussed is up to USD 18 billion, while debt including borrowings and bonds is about USD 12 billion, making the total transaction value likely to approach USD 30 billion.
According to Reuters, SoftBank is exploring ways to use robots in some security tasks over the long term through Allied Universal. However, it is expected to take additional time before humanoid security workers are actually deployed.
SoftBank is expanding its robotics investments into manufacturing. In October last year, SoftBank signed a USD 5.375 billion deal to acquire ABB's robotics business. At the time, SoftBank identified AI semiconductors, robots, data centers and energy as its key investment areas. SoftBank also set a policy of combining ABB's robotics technology with the technology base of its own portfolio companies. The ABB transaction was positioned as an investment to strengthen robotics development and supply capabilities.
The review of Allied Universal's acquisition is seen as a move to secure customer sites and an operational base where robots can be deployed. It shows that SoftBank's business scope is expanding beyond improving robot performance to include deployment operations and monetization.
This structure is linked to SoftBank's official 'physical AI' strategy. SoftBank has said that machines that perceive reality and act autonomously connect AI's decision-making capabilities to real industrial value. SoftBank is also promoting cooperation in technology, personnel and business foundations among its robotics-related portfolio companies.
Allied Universal provides security personnel for companies and events, and it is expanding into data centers. If the acquisition is completed, it could create a point of contact between SoftBank's AI infrastructure investments and physical security services. However, no specific plan for combining the businesses has been confirmed.
The discussions are still at an early stage, and both the final acquisition decision and the purchase price remain undecided. SoftBank declined to comment to Reuters, and Allied Universal did not respond immediately. If the acquisition is completed, the challenge will be to identify tasks robots can handle at security service sites and to prove operating results that justify the cost of introducing them.
Source: IT DAILY · Lee Jae-young
Original: https://www.itdaily.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=242265
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Source: IT DAILY
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