Hospitals in the United States have increasingly turned to robotic solutions to address labor shortages and improve staff efficiency. As robotics and artificial intelligence converge, Diligent Robotics has been named a participant in the first Physical AI Fellowship, a program spearheaded by MassRobotics, AWS, and NVIDIA. The recognition presents Diligent Robotics, known for its hospital assistant robot Moxi, with fresh opportunities to upscale its autonomous technology and support rapid product enhancements. Unlike generic automation programs, this initiative aims to foster real-world deployment and development of collaborative robots in autonomous, dynamic environments. Many in the healthcare field anticipate further integration of Artificial Intelligence and robotics to handle routine tasks, ultimately freeing up time for staff to focus on more critical work.
Recent reports on Diligent Robotics have emphasized the company’s growth in U.S. hospitals and Moxi’s increasing task automation. While previous coverage has centered on product milestones and success statistics, the new angle with the Physical AI Fellowship highlights broader industry support and resource access for the company. Earlier partnerships and grants to Diligent Robotics were more limited in technological scope, compared to the multifaceted support and exposure provided by AWS, NVIDIA, and MassRobotics now. This phase signals a shift from proof-of-concept deployments of Moxi to a strategy focused on scaling, ecosystem development, and next-generation AI modeling for physical environments.
What are the goals of the Physical AI Fellowship?
The Physical AI Fellowship is designed to accelerate startups creating AI-infused robotics for practical, physical-world operations. Companies accepted into the program, like Diligent Robotics, receive substantial resources, including $200,000 in AWS cloud credits, technical support from AWS Generative AI Innovation Center, and tailored access to NVIDIA platforms such as Isaac and Cosmos. MassRobotics contributes ecosystem access and real-world testbeds, positioning fellows to experiment and refine their solutions ahead of industry launches. These concerted efforts are set to converge at high-profile events, culminating in showcases at AWS and NVIDIA conferences.
How will Diligent Robotics benefit from this fellowship?
Diligent Robotics expects the fellowship to quicken both its hardware deployment and AI research. Extended access to NVIDIA’s Deep Learning Institute credits, coupled with AWS engineering expertise, should enhance the intelligence layer of its flagship Moxi robot. Rashed Haq, Chief Technology Officer of Diligent Robotics, stated,
“This fellowship offers our team access to world-class compute, cutting-edge tools, and leading technical teams building the robotics ecosystem.”
The program will also enable Diligent to expand its robotic fleet in healthcare settings and support the development of foundational AI models for collaborative, humanoid robots in complex, people-filled environments.
What is Moxi’s current role in hospitals?
Currently, Moxi operates as a mobile manipulator robot, focusing on repetitive but essential hospital tasks such as medication and laboratory sample delivery. Diligent Robotics reports that more than 25 hospitals in the U.S. have adopted Moxi, leading to over one million successful task completions, including 300,000 pharmacy runs. By taking on these duties, Moxi is credited with saving nearly 600,000 staff hours and reducing burnout. Vivian Chu, co-founder and chief innovation officer, emphasized the company’s direction going forward:
“AI-native robotics will define the next generation of automation.”
By joining the Physical AI Fellowship, Diligent Robotics is set to extend its reach in the healthcare sector and strengthen the technical foundation underpinning Moxi. The company recently announced a partnership with Swisslog Healthcare aimed at further embedding robotics in last-mile hospital delivery systems. This focus on collaborative robots reflects broader industry trends moving toward AI-driven, people-focused automation in high-stakes environments.
Robotics and automation continue to gain traction across multiple industries, but healthcare’s unique challenges—such as labor demands and workflow optimization—make tailored robotic systems like Moxi particularly relevant. The collaboration between MassRobotics, AWS, and NVIDIA demonstrates a growing emphasis on ecosystem-building and technical acceleration for startups targeting physical deployment. Fellowships of this kind not only offer immediate material and technical support but also position companies to establish thought leadership and operational influence through high-visibility events. Healthcare providers looking to adopt robotics can observe programs like this as leading indicators for practical, scalable advances. For organizations considering AI-native robotic solutions, partnerships and fellowships offer pathways to funding, expertise, and industry connections that can significantly reduce the risk and time required for adoption.
