Caterpillar, FieldAI collaborate to advance AI-powered industrial innovation

As industries face growing labor shortages and increasing productivity demands, Caterpillar said that it is collaborating with FieldAI to advance physical AI, autonomy and robotics that help job sites and factories operate with more safety and efficiency.

The companies said that by turning real-time observations into actionable insights, physical AI helps improve decision-making, enhance safety and maximize the effectiveness of every worker and machine.

Physical AI powers multiple applications with Caterpillar and FieldAI

At CES 2026, Caterpillar shared its vision for what it calls the “jobsite of the future:” a safer, more productive and easier-to-run operation powered by intelligent machines, connected workflows and digital insights.

"The future of our industries will be shaped by how effectively we combine human expertise with AI-powered machines," said Jaime Mineart, CTO, Caterpillar. "Collaborations like this help accelerate the journey. We're focused on applying AI where it matters most, helping customers improve safety, increase productivity and get more value from every operation."

The companies said that this collaboration combines Caterpillar's industry expertise, engineering capabilities and operational data with FieldAI's AI-enabled robot foundation models to autonomously operate across complex job sites and manufacturing environments, accelerating practical technologies that improve safety, productivity and operational efficiency.

Caterpillar and FieldAI said that early applications include:

• Autonomous inspections to improve safety and operational visibility.
• Jobsite and facility digital twins that provide real-time insights into equipment, infrastructure and operations.
• Enhanced situational awareness to help identify potential risks sooner and support faster, more informed decision-making.
• Operational optimization that improves efficiency through simulation, automation and AI-driven insights.

"Modern manufacturing at Caterpillar is transforming how we work, from design to delivery, through advanced technology, digital innovation and a culture of continuous improvement," said John Tuntland, senior vice president of Integrated Components, Caterpillar. "These technologies give our teams greater visibility into how our facilities operate and help us identify opportunities to improve safety, optimize flow and make more informed decisions. As our people embrace new ways of working, we are building manufacturing operations that respond faster to change and perform at their best."

Caterpillar said that it selected FieldAI for its ability to deploy in complex, dynamic industrial environments where traditional automation often falls short. Caterpillar added that FieldAI's robot-agnostic autonomy and foundation models can turn large volumes of operational and jobsite data into actionable insights - complementing Caterpillar's manufacturing modernization and jobsite of the future initiatives.

"Caterpillar has shaped operations on jobsites and manufacturing facilities for over a century, and these are exactly the environments FieldAI excels in, with deployments spanning hundreds of sites worldwide," said Ali Agha, founder and CEO of FieldAI. "This collaboration brings leading physical AI capabilities to a leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment. Together, we are shaping the next century of AI-enabled heavy industry."

Caterpillar and FieldAI said that they are advancing AI-powered autonomy to help customers build, move and power progress more safely, productively and efficiently.

By utilizing NVIDIA accelerated computing, NVIDIA Omniverse technologies and high-fidelity digital twins built from operational data, the companies said that the collaboration improves site visibility, accelerates decision-making and supports the next generation of industrial operations.