Google’s artificial intelligence research division, DeepMind, is establishing a new robotics laboratory in Watertown, Massachusetts, the company confirmed on Thursday. The facility will serve as the base for a team focused on developing advanced hardware that complements DeepMind’s AI and robotics research.
Aaron Saunders, who joined DeepMind last year from Boston Dynamics, announced the project in a LinkedIn post. Saunders, formerly chief technology officer at Boston Dynamics, described the new lab as “first-class” and aimed at advancing robotics innovation. The facility will be located at 200 Talcott Avenue in the Arsenal on the Charles building, where Google signed a lease earlier this summer for 35,000 square feet within a 50,000-square-foot property. The building, owned by Alexandria Real Estate Equities, previously housed biotech firm Werewolf Therapeutics before its recent merger with Ambros Therapeutics. Construction is expected to be completed by 2027.
DeepMind plans to hire machinists, engineers, and researchers for the new Watertown team, Saunders said. The company already maintains a significant presence in the Boston area, with a large office in Kendall Square near the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), employing roughly 2,000 people locally.
The announcement coincides with increased activity by AI and robotics firms in Greater Boston. Watertown itself hosts Tutor Intelligence, a startup working on AI software and robotics, while nearby Kendall Square is home to several other companies expanding their footprints. Among these are Walden Robotics, a Toyota spinoff recently leasing 50,000 square feet, as well as AI-focused firms Anthropic and Blitzy, both securing office space at One Kendall Square.
While Saunders’ post referred generally to the “Cambridge area,” city records confirm the Watertown location. The Cambridge-Watertown corridor has long been a center for robotics innovation, benefiting from proximity to research institutions such as MIT and Harvard University. Founders and researchers in the region often have academic ties; DeepMind cofounder and former CEO Demis Hassabis conducted postdoctoral research at both MIT and Harvard’s Center for Brains, Minds, and Machines.
Watertown city manager George Proakis expressed enthusiasm for DeepMind’s arrival, stating the town is “thrilled to welcome” the company and highlighting the community’s growing appeal to technology firms.
DeepMind is known for developing the Gemini AI models and Nano Banana image generation software. The company is also investing in “physical AI,” software designed to enable autonomous robots. Among its projects is a humanoid robot capable of walking on two legs, communicating verbally, and performing delicate tasks like picking up objects and sealing bags.
Saunders brings two decades of robotics experience to the role at DeepMind, having spent 22 years at Boston Dynamics, a Waltham-based company renowned for its innovative robots with agile movement and dynamic capabilities. He will lead DeepMind’s hardware efforts beginning in 2025.