[Japan's First] GMO Internet Group Opens 'GMO Humanoid Lab Shibuya Showroom,' Japan's Largest R&D Hub for Humanoid Robots in Terms of Area, Number of Manufacturers, and Models

GMO Internet Group (Group CEO and Representative Director: Masatoshi Kumagai), under its corporate slogan 'Internet for All,' launched the 'GMO Humanoid Lab' on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. It has opened the 'GMO Humanoid Lab Shibuya Showroom,' Japan's first and largest (*1) physical AI research and development hub, on the 11th floor of its group headquarters, Cerulean Tower, in Shibuya, Tokyo. Approximately half of the 382-tsubo total floor area has been pre-opened, with a full opening scheduled for October 2026. (Website: https://humanoid-lab.gmo)

Under the catchphrase 'Physical AI for All,' this hub will serve as a strategic center for research and development, business creation, and talent acquisition in the physical AI domain. GMO Internet Group, GMO AI & Robotics, Inc. (hereinafter, GMO AIR), and GMO Various Robotics, Inc. (hereinafter, GMO Various Robotics) will jointly advance R&D.

Equipped with the world's most advanced robots and R&D facilities, we will create an environment where top engineers and researchers can fully unleash their creativity, thereby accelerating the social implementation of AI and robot technology originating from Japan.

(*1) Based on our own research as of April 6, 2026.

[Background and Purpose]

The evolution of AI and robotics technology is poised to significantly transform the industrial structure itself. GMO Internet Group views this change as the 'second half of the Internet Revolution.' 'Physical AI,' where intelligence in software begins to move in the real world, is gaining global attention as a future massive industry. Particularly in the humanoid field, the development race is rapidly advancing, centered in the United States and China, and Japan is also required to further accelerate its R&D and social implementation.

Based on this environmental awareness, GMO Internet Group has been promoting investment and strengthening its structure in AI and robotics-related businesses. In June 2024, it established GMO AIR, and in December 2025, it welcomed GMO Various Robotics, a developer of advanced robot solutions, into the group. This has built an integrated system from robot sales to technological development, laying the groundwork on both business and development fronts.

In 2026, GMO Internet Group designates this as the 'first year of humanoids' and will further accelerate R&D investment, talent recruitment, and business creation. The symbol of this is the 'GMO Humanoid Lab.'

[Overview of 'GMO Humanoid Lab']

The 'GMO Humanoid Lab' was established as the core hub to promote GMO Internet Group's humanoid research and development. In a vast space of 382 tsubo, it consolidates advanced robots, including humanoids, and R&D equipment, creating an environment where diverse specialized fields such as AI, control, mechanical design, and software development intersect. At the lab, researchers with different expertise from GMO Internet Group, GMO AIR, and GMO Various Robotics will collaborate to create innovative robot technologies.