The three manufacturers’ thesis
The leaders of three major European semiconductor groups — Infineon, STMicroelectronics and NXP — believe that Europe has what it takes to compete with the United States and Asia in robotics and so-called “physical AI,” meaning artificial intelligence applied to machines that act in the real world. The position was expressed during an industry conference in Munich and reported by Reuters via the Chinese outlet IT之家.
According to the CEOs, the AI market is shifting from data centers to robots, cars and industrial devices: in this scenario, demand for chips and systems capable of operating safely and reliably in the real world is set to grow. The three companies supply power chips, sensors and microcontrollers, segments in which they compete with U.S. rivals such as Texas Instruments and onsemi.
The positions of the three CEOs
Infineon CEO Jochen Hanebeck described industrial and physical AI as a field Europe “must win,” observing that in too many sectors the continent is perceived as lagging behind other regions. The statement is a strategic stance, not a market data point.
STMicroelectronics CEO Jean-Marc Chery stressed that developing physical AI requires close collaboration between chipmakers and customers: the model described calls for training robots in simulated environments before real-world use. On the operational side, the company has signed an agreement with Italian firm Oversonic to install humanoid robots in its factory; the first unit is destined for a semiconductor facility in Malta.
NXP CEO Rafael Sotomayor linked the issue to safety: Europe’s experience in traditional technologies can help foster the development of reliable AI systems. As AI moves from providing recommendations to performing concrete actions, an error can have irreversible consequences; Sotomayor cited as an example the risk of a fracture caused by an incorrect assessment.
What is confirmed and what remains to be seen
The new development is the public convergence of three competitors on the same thesis: physical AI as a strategic opportunity for Europe’s semiconductor industry, supported by its tradition in the automotive and industrial sectors. It is, however, a position declared by company leaders, not a verified market forecast.
The main limitation concerns the gap between announcements and applications. The material indicates that projects such as the one between STMicroelectronics and Oversonic are still at an early stage: they are mainly factory trials, far from large-scale adoption. No figures are provided on investment, production volumes or commercialization timelines, nor any elements quantifying the European lag evoked by Hanebeck. It therefore remains to be verified whether the three CEOs’ thesis will translate into market share and concrete orders.
