Amazon acquires Swiss robotics firm RIVR to dominate last-mile delivery. The company, formerly known as Swiss-Mile, develops wheeled-legged robots powered by artificial intelligence for autonomous doorstep delivery. CEO Marko Bjelonic stated the acquisition accelerates their vision of building General Physical AI through real-world deployment at scale. Amazon's move reflects its commitment to research and improving delivery personnel safety. RIVR raised twenty-two million dollars in seed funding in 2024, with backing from Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund and Bezos Expeditions. The company launched field testing in the United States through a partnership with logistics platform Veho, deploying robots in Austin for eCommerce parcel delivery.
