Phoenix Gen 8 is the eighth generation of the general-purpose humanoid from Vancouver-based Sanctuary AI. Unlike earlier versions it stands on a wheeled base, and its main job is capturing high-quality training data for Sanctuary's AI control system. The company's hydraulic dexterous hands remain its signature technology.
History and launch
Sanctuary has iterated through several Phoenix generations. The fifth generation was first commercially deployed in January 2023, the sixth made TIME's best inventions of 2023, and the seventh arrived in April 2024 together with the Carbon control system.
Sanctuary presented the eighth generation in December 2024, less than eight months after the seventh, pointing to the pace of its development.
Design and hardware
Gen 8 uses a wheeled base instead of legs. Sanctuary says customers felt biped legs were too frail to support the strong torso needed for precise, safe work.
Compared with Gen 7 it upgrades the telemetry system, the depth and vision cameras (wider field of view, higher resolution), the sensor suite and the audio and video system for interaction. The design is simpler, with a lower bill of materials and faster build and commissioning. Sanctuary has not published dimensions, weight, payload or runtime.
Gen 7 had already introduced smaller, lighter hydraulics, more range of motion in the wrists, hands and elbows, tougher hands and better tactile sensing. Sanctuary's hands are hydraulically actuated and have many active degrees of freedom, including finger abduction, which enables in-hand manipulation.
Software and AI
Phoenix is driven by Sanctuary's Carbon AI control system, and Gen 8 is meant to feed it some of the highest-fidelity training data available. With Gen 7 Sanctuary said the time to automate a new task had dropped from weeks to under 24 hours.
In 2025 Sanctuary demonstrated in-hand reorientation of a cylinder on its hydraulic hand using a policy trained with reinforcement learning in simulation, even with an unseen 500 g load attached. It uses NVIDIA Isaac Lab and has collaborated with Microsoft on AI models.
Applications and strategy
Gen 8 is primarily a data capture platform rather than a mass deployment product. In June 2026 Sanctuary shifted strategy: instead of waiting for humanoid hardware to reach mass production, it now deploys its physical AI on existing industrial robots. With a global Tier 1 automotive supplier, its system inserted a flexible wire plug into a moving target on a live conveyor with a success rate above 99.5% at a 2.54-second cycle time.
In 2026 Zeon invested in Sanctuary and partnered on elastomer materials for its dexterous hands.
Manufacturer
Sanctuary AI (Sanctuary Cognitive Systems Corporation) was founded in Vancouver in 2018; co-founders include Geordie Rose and Olivia Norton, now CTO. In June 2026 chairman Daniel Friedmann, former CEO of MDA and Carbon Engineering, became CEO, replacing James Wells.
Price and availability
Phoenix Gen 8 has no public price. Sanctuary works with industrial customers on individual projects.
Timeline
- 2018 Sanctuary AI founded in Vancouver
- 2023-01 First commercial deployment of a fifth-generation robot
- 2024-04 Phoenix Gen 7 and the Carbon control system
- 2024-12 Phoenix Gen 8 on a wheeled base, built for data capture
- 2025-04 RL-trained in-hand manipulation on the hydraulic hand
- 2026-06 Strategy shift to physical AI on existing industrial robots; Daniel Friedmann named CEO
Sources
- Sanctuary AI Releases New Generation of AI Robots for High Quality Data Capture, Sanctuary AI (2024-12-16)
- Sanctuary AI Unveils the Next Generation of AI Robotics, Sanctuary AI (2024-04-25)
- Sanctuary AI Leads the Industry in Controlling Advanced Hydraulic Hands Using Reinforcement Learning, Sanctuary AI (2025-04-01)
- Sanctuary AI Expands Physical AI Strategy to Industrial Robotics, Sanctuary AI (2026-06-17)
- Daniel Friedmann Appointed CEO of Sanctuary AI, Sanctuary AI (2026-06-16)
- Zeon Invests in Sanctuary AI and Partners to Advance Specialized Materials for Dexterous Robotics, Sanctuary AI (2026-05-26)
Updated: 2026-10-10
Verification and limitations
This entry requires an up-to-date manufacturer specification check.
MERA field measurement report: not published. Demonstration footage and manufacturer specifications are not a MERA test under event conditions.
Data and provenance for AI agents ↗Compared with the catalogue
- It is one of 2 Sanctuary AI models in the catalogue and one of 3 humanoids from Canada.
Capabilities
Frequently asked questions
Does Phoenix Gen 8 walk?
No. The eighth generation stands on a wheeled base because customers found legs too frail for a strong torso.
What is Phoenix Gen 8 for?
Mainly capturing high-quality training data for Sanctuary's Carbon AI system.
What is special about Sanctuary's hands?
Hydraulic actuation and many active degrees of freedom, including finger abduction.
How much does Phoenix cost?
Sanctuary does not publish a price.
How much does the Sanctuary AI Phoenix Gen 8 cost?
The manufacturer has not published a price for the Sanctuary AI Phoenix Gen 8. You can send a purchase enquiry through MERA Robotics.
Is the Sanctuary AI Phoenix Gen 8 available to buy?
Status: In development: the manufacturer has shown the robot but is not selling it openly yet.
How do I buy the Sanctuary AI Phoenix Gen 8 through MERA Robotics?
Click “I want to buy” or fill in the form on this page. MERA Robotics will reply whether and on what terms the model is available and can help deploy it with the MERA OS conversation system.
Data: Sanctuary AI. Specs from the manufacturer; they may change, always confirm with the manufacturer before buying.
