彭博：软银据称考虑以近300亿美元收购美国最大安保公司 Allied Universal，孙正义欲将AI机器人落地安保场景

SoftBank Group Corp. is considering an acquisition of Allied Universal, the largest security services company in the US, people familiar with the matter said, as founder Masayoshi Son explores ways to deploy AI-powered robots across industries.

The potential transaction may give closely held Allied an equity value of as much as $18 billion, said some of the people, who asked not to be identified because the deliberations are private.

The security company, whose backers include private equity firm Warburg Pincus and Canadian pension fund La Caisse, also has about $12 billion of publicly traded debt, across loans and bonds, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. That could bring a total deal value close to $30 billion.

Deliberations are preliminary and no final decisions have been made, including on the potential price, the people said.

Representatives for SoftBank, Warburg Pincus, and La Caisse, formerly known as CDPQ, declined to comment. An Allied spokesperson didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Allied offers a range of security services, including staffing for businesses and events. It also has a large footprint in providing security for data center developments, a growing industry in the country. The business was valued at more than $7 billion in 2019, when La Caisse invested in the company.

Allied handles security for the New York City subway through its contracts with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. It also offers enhanced protection such as intelligence analysts, canine services and bomb technicians, as well as facility offerings such as cleaning, janitorial work and maintenance.

Son has identified security services as a promising proving ground for robotics technologies developed by his portfolio companies, some of the people said. Deploying fleets of robots instead of human security staff for one-time events such as concerts could be economically viable, they added.

The security staffing industry has already been looking at ways to automate tasks and implement AI. With Allied, SoftBank would look to eventually replace some staff with robots to handle security work, one of the people said. Conceptually, it’s similar to “robocops,” but the technology isn’t there yet, another person said. The application of humanoid-like security workers will likely take more time, the person added.

Son has been ramping up investments in robotics technologies as part of his sweeping bet on the artificial intelligence boom. The centerpiece of that effort is a $65 billion commitment with OpenAI. SoftBank has also set up an entity called Roze, an AI and robotics vehicle, that it hopes to take public in the US, Bloomberg News has reported.

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The latest string of deals by SoftBank include the acquisition of Swiss conglomerate ABB Ltd.’s industrial robots unit for $5.4 billion and a $200 million investment in Gravis Robotics, a Swiss startup that makes autonomous software for construction machinery. It’s also held discussions to increase its stake in Agile Robots by participating in a new funding round for the German startup.

Allied has been exploring its own robot initiatives, including a five-foot-tall, 300-pound autonomous machine for patrols and monitoring.

“While Security Professionals will always be needed for strategic decision-making, situational analysis, and security response, machines excel at monotonous, computationally heavy, and sometimes hazardous or difficult-to-reach work,” the company says on its website.

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Son last year signaled a renewed push into the field by setting up a new holding company, Robo HD, combining its robotics assets. About 20 of its investments — including in companies like Berkshire Grey Inc., Agile Robots and Skild AI — were transferred to the entity.

The Japanese founder has been an early believer in the potential of robotics, with mixed results. SoftBank unveiled its humanoid robot Pepper in 2014, before halting production in 2020. The company also acquired Boston Dynamics in 2017, but later sold a majority stake to Hyundai Motor Group.

The worldwide AI frenzy has turned SoftBank into one of the most acquisitive companies globally in recent years. Its deals include a $3 billion purchase of US digital infrastructure-focused asset manager DigitalBridge Group Inc. to power Son’s foray into data center businesses.