Agility's Digit 5 humanoid robot will run exclusively on Nvidia as the company heads for Nasdaq

Agility Robotics has announced that it will use Nvidia's IGX Thor modules as the sole onboard computer for Digit 5, the next version of its humanoid robot. Nvidia will be the exclusive supplier of onboard computing for the general-availability version. Agility expects early access to Digit 5 to begin in the first half of 2027, with availability then ramping up over a six- to nine-month period for factories, warehouses and distribution centers.

The deal is the company's fourth announcement in four days. The Oregon-based company is preparing to list on Nasdaq through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (blank check), Churchill Capital Corp XI. The parties expect to close the transaction in the fourth quarter, with shares trading under the ticker AGLT.

Safety and certification: Agility will also integrate parts of Nvidia's Halos safety platform into the system Digit uses to detect people around it. The Halos inspection lab will review the robot's safety software, AI components and cybersecurity. An independent body will then grant final certification. Deepu Talla, Nvidia's vice president of robotics and edge AI, said that bringing humanoids to commercial scale requires co-designing AI computing and safety. Pras Velagapudi, Agility's chief technology officer, said Nvidia's modules will give Digit 5 "a common foundation" ahead of a broad rollout.

Orders and expansion: Agility said it will open a new 50,000-square-foot facility in Pittsburgh, adding about 35,000 square feet to its space in the city. It will house software and AI development, robot deployment teams and an East Coast service center. Staff should be able to move in by the end of the year. The company also announced four new customers in the automotive, consumer goods and agriculture sectors, and says it has more than $300 million in multi-year orders for Digit 5, subject to certain contractual milestones. Digit already operates with GXO, Schaeffler and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada. In addition, it signed a commercial agreement with agricultural machinery maker AGCO (owner of brands such as Fendt and Massey Ferguson): starting in 2027, AGCO will test Digit at its factory in Hesston, Kansas, sorting and stacking parts and placing storage bins.

Corporate governance and risks: Agility named Mark Vale, a former UPS president, as future chair of the audit committee; he will join the board when the merger with Churchill closes. Directors Bruce Leak and Matt Ocko have left the board. The companies' statements list risks, including Agility's history of net losses and the possibility that it may not achieve commercial success.

Industry context: in China, humanoid maker Unitree went public in Shanghai in August. According to Business Insider, Agility has deployed Digit at nine customer sites. Tesla said this week that it has begun building its Optimus robot in Fremont, California, and LG plans to launch a humanoid running on Nvidia software in 2027.