知情人士称，软银集团正考虑收购美国最大的安防服务公司 Allied Universal，创始人孙正义正在探索在各行业部署人工智能驱动的机器人的方式。
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.
知情人士称，此次潜在交易可能使 Allied 的股权价值达到高达 180 亿美元，这些人士因 deliberations 为私密而要求匿名。
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.
根据彭博社编译的数据，该安防公司的支持者包括私募股权公司 Warburg Pincus 和加拿大养老基金 La Caisse，此外其还有约 120 亿美元的公开交易债务，涵盖贷款和债券。这可能使总交易价值接近 300 亿美元。
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.
知情人士称， deliberations 仍处于初步阶段，尚未作出最终决定，包括潜在价格。
Deliberations are preliminary and no final decisions have been made, including on the potential price, the people said.
软银、Warburg Pincus 和 La Caisse（前身为 CDPQ）的代表均拒绝置评。Allied 的发言人未回应置评请求。
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 提供一系列安防服务，包括为企业和活动提供人员安排。它还在为数据中心开发提供安防方面拥有广泛业务，这是国内一个增长迅速的行业。该公司在 2019 年 La Caisse 投资时估值超过 70 亿美元。
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 通过与大都会交通局的合同，负责纽约市地铁的安防工作。它还提供诸如情报分析师、犬只服务和爆炸物技术员等增强型防护，以及清洁、保洁和维修等设施服务。
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.
知情人士称，孙正义已将安防服务视为其投资组合公司开发的机器人技术的有前景的试验场。他们补充称，用机器人舰队取代人力安保人员，以应对音乐会等一次性活动，可能在经济上是可行的。
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.
安保人员行业一直在寻找自动化任务和实施人工智能的方法。据一位知情人士透露，软银计划最终用机器人替换部分安保人员，以处理安保工作。另一位知情人士表示，从概念上讲，这类似于“机器警察”，但技术尚未成熟。该人士补充称，类人形安保工作者的应用可能需要更长时间。
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.
孙正义一直在加大对机器人技术的投资，作为他对人工智能热潮进行广泛押注的一部分。该努力的核心是与OpenAI达成的650亿美元承诺。软银还成立了一家名为Roze的实体，专注于人工智能和机器人领域，希望在美国上市，彭博新闻曾这样报道。
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.
软银最近的一系列交易包括以54亿美元收购瑞士集团ABB有限公司的工业机器人部门，以及向瑞士初创公司Gravis Robotics投资2亿美元，该公司为建筑机械制造自主软件。软银还在讨论通过参与德国初创公司Agile Robots的新一轮融资来增加其持股比例。
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.
安保人员一直在探索自身的机器人计划，包括一款身高五英尺、重300磅的用于巡逻和监控的自主机器人。
Allied has been exploring its own robot initiatives, including a five-foot-tall, 300-pound autonomous machine for patrols and monitoring.
该公司在其网站上表示：“虽然安全专业人员在战略决策、情势分析和安全响应方面始终是必需的，但机器在处理单调、计算量大、有时具有危险性或难以到达的工作方面表现更出色。”
“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.
去年，孙正义通过成立一家名为Robo HD的新控股公司，将其机器人资产整合在一起，表明了重新加大该领域投资的意图。大约20项投资 — — 包括对Berkshire Grey Inc.、Agile Robots和Skild AI的投资 — — 被转移到了该实体。
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.
日本创始人一直是机器人潜力的早期信奉者，但结果参差不齐。软银在2014年推出了人形机器人Pepper，但在2020年停产。该公司还在2017年收购了波士顿动力公司，但后来将多数股权出售给了现代汽车集团。
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.
全球人工智能热潮使软银成为近年来全球最具收购性的公司之一。其交易包括以30亿美元收购专注于美国数字基础设施的资产管理公司DigitalBridge Group Inc.，以支持孙正义进军数据中心业务。
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.