Sanctuary AI is a Vancouver-based robotics and artificial intelligence company founded in 2018, focused on creating and deploying millions of industrial-grade humanoid robots to address global labor shortages. The company’s mission is to develop general-purpose robots with human-like intelligence and dexterity, capable of performing a broad range of tasks in environments traditionally designed for people. Sanctuary AI is best known for its Phoenix robot, unveiled in 2022, which combines advanced AI, robotics, and proprietary dexterous hand technology to enable autonomous labor across industries such as manufacturing, automotive, logistics, and retail. The company is recognized as a global leader in patents for general-purpose robotics and dexterous manipulation, holding the third-largest patent portfolio in the sector.
Leadership
James Wells – Chief Executive Officer. Wells was appointed CEO in late 2024 after the departure of Geordie Rose, a pioneering figure in human-like intelligence and robotics.
Olivia Norton – Co-Founder, Chief Technology Officer & Chief Product Officer. Norton leads the company’s technical and product strategy, with a focus on AI, cognition, and robotics.
Philip Smith – Chief Financial Officer.
Sanctuary AI’s founding and executive team includes veterans from companies such as D-Wave (quantum computing), Kindred (reinforcement learning in robotics), and the Creative Destruction Lab, bringing deep expertise in AI, robotics, and commercialization.
Core Technologies
Phoenix Robot: Sanctuary’s flagship general-purpose humanoid robot, designed for industrial-grade tasks. Phoenix features a robust torso, human-like dexterity, and advanced manipulators capable of fine manipulation and tactile feedback, enabling it to perform complex tasks quickly and accurately in human environments.
Proprietary Carbon AI System: The AI platform powering Phoenix, enabling advanced cognitive abilities such as object recognition, scene understanding, autonomous decision-making, and real-time adaptation to changing environments.
Dexterous Hydraulic Hands: Sanctuary AI is the only company developing hydraulic hands for robots, providing exceptional strength, speed, and 21 degrees of freedom (17 active), which are critical for achieving human-level dexterity.
Tactile Sensors: Cutting-edge tactile feedback technology allows Phoenix to perform touch-driven tasks with precision and collect rich behavioral data to improve AI robustness and performance.
Autonomous Decision-Making & Control: Advanced algorithms allow Phoenix to prioritize tasks, navigate complex environments, and collaborate safely with human workers, making real-time adjustments based on sensory input.
Key Capabilities
General-Purpose Dexterous Manipulation: Phoenix can perform a wide range of tasks, including picking, packing, assembly, inspection, and even assisting with household chores, at speeds and precision comparable to humans.
Adaptability: The robots are designed to learn and adapt to new tasks and environments, continuously improving through AI-driven learning and tactile feedback.
Safe Human-Robot Collaboration: Equipped with advanced safety features, Phoenix is built to work alongside people in dynamic, unstructured environments.
Industrial-Grade Reliability: Designed for demanding applications in manufacturing, logistics, automotive, and more, with robust construction and reliable operation.
Physical AI: Sanctuary’s embodied AI systems mimic human movement and cognitive processes, enabling robots to interact with and learn from the world as humans do.
Investors
Total Funding: Over $140 million as of late 2024, including a $30 million Strategic Innovation Fund contribution from the Government of Canada.
Sanctuary AI has a growing list of customers across industries in Canada, the US, Japan, and other countries, with deployments and pilots in sectors such as retail, manufacturing, and logistics.Notably, Sanctuary AI marked the first commercial test of its Phoenix robot in a Mark’s clothing store, demonstrating real-world application of its technology in retail operations.
