BlackBerry CEO says robotics is fastest-growing QNX business

Investing.com -- BlackBerry's robotics business has become one of the fastest-growing segments within its QNX software portfolio, CEO John Giamatteo told CNBC, as the company shifts focus toward physical AI applications.

The Canadian technology company, formerly known for its keyboard-equipped mobile phones, has transformed its business to concentrate on QNX, which provides safety-critical software for automotive systems. The operating system is currently embedded in 275 million vehicles, powering functions from braking systems to semi-autonomous driving features.

Giamatteo said the company is now applying its QNX technology to robotics applications, targeting industrial warehouses, robotic forklifts, and medical equipment rather than humanoid robots.

"We think that could be even a faster-growing segment of the industry for things like robotics," Giamatteo said in an interview with CNBC's "The Tech Download" podcast.

"As excited as we are about the dynamics of the automotive industry and where that's going, these other applications around robotics and medical instruments and industrial automation represent a tremendous growth opportunity. And one that I think BlackBerry and our QNX portfolio is really well positioned to address," he added.

BlackBerry reported a QNX order backlog worth $950 million, with robotics accounting for a portion of those orders. The company did not provide specific figures for robotics-related orders.

In April, BlackBerry announced an expanded partnership with Nvidia to deploy its software alongside Nvidia's systems in robotics, medical technologies and industrial applications.

BlackBerry's stock has roughly doubled in 2026.

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