In context
In April 2025, the construction industry faced a critical labor shortage, with the US needing over 439,000 additional skilled workers in 2025, and the sector recording the highest number of fatal injuries (1,075) among all industries in 2023. Against this backdrop, RIC Robotics, a specialist in mobile 3D construction robotics, announced plans for Zyrex, a giant AI-powered robot designed to address these challenges.
What was reported
RIC Robotics unveiled Zyrex, a 20-foot-tall, AI-powered, general-purpose construction robot, which the company calls a 'Giantroid'. Unlike humanoids, Zyrex is purpose-built for construction, capable of heavy-duty tasks like material handling and delicate trades such as welding, assembling, trimming, carpentry, 3D printing, and exterior finishing. It features 26 degrees of freedom, an interchangeable tool module, and battery power with self-changing packs.
Zyrex leverages LiDAR and visual sensors, powered by Vision-Language-Action (VLA) AI models, and will operate in dynamic job sites with human monitoring. The robot will be deployed in two phases: first, human-assisted operation with VR and physical simulators to train AI models using real-world and synthetic data; second, full autonomy where Zyrex executes skilled tasks independently.
RIC estimates Zyrex will be priced under $1 million, with leasing options below $20,000 per month, significantly cheaper than previous giant robots costing over $2 million. The company's existing RIC-PRIMUS robot already shares many capabilities, and its earlier model, RIC-M1 Pro, successfully 3D-printed two Walmart warehouse extensions, one in Alabama completed in 7 days—3 weeks ahead of schedule—saving 75% time and 80% skilled labor.
Why it mattered
Zyrex represents a significant step toward scalable, autonomous construction, potentially transforming how large-scale projects are executed by reducing reliance on scarce skilled labor and improving safety on high-risk sites. Its multi-functional design could make autonomous construction economically viable, with implications for broader industrial automation beyond 3D printing.
“We’re not just building another robot—we’re engineering the future of construction.”
Source: Robotics & Automation News (roboticsandautomationnews.com) · Published 2025-04-25 · “RIC Robotics to launch ‘world’s first AI-powered giant construction robot’”