Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia \u2014 BlackBerry chief executive John Giamatteo\nsees artificial intelligence (AI)-powered robots as a major new growth\nengine for the former smartphone king. Once one of the world\u2019s largest\nmobile phone makers, the Canadian company has now completely overhauled\nits business focus.<\/p>\n
After stepping back from its position as a leading smartphone maker\nin the 2000s, BlackBerry shifted its focus to software and\nbusiness-to-business services. Its QNX operating system underpins\nfeatures ranging from braking systems to semi-autonomous steering.<\/p>\n
The operating system is now embedded in more than 275 million\nvehicles worldwide. Looking beyond the automotive industry, BlackBerry\nis moving into the fast-growing physical AI market.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough the products we sell today are no longer in the palm of\nyour hand, they are everywhere around you,\u201d Giamatteo said in an\ninterview with Jim Cramer on CNBC International, according to a report\non Tuesday (27 October 2026).<\/p>\n
\u201c275 million cars, robots, government institutions, medical\ninstruments and supply chains. That is the new BlackBerry, and that is\nwhat is driving our growth,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Giamatteo said robotics had become one of the fastest-growing\nbusiness lines in the QNX ecosystem. Unlike generative AI, which\nprocesses text and images, physical AI enables robots and machines to\ninteract directly with the real world.<\/p>\n
Building on its track record in the automotive industry, BlackBerry\nis targeting opportunities as a provider of foundational software\ndesigned to make these machines operate safely and reliably.<\/p>\n
The opportunity is directly reflected in QNX\u2019s royalty backlog, which\nhas reached US$1.2 billion (Rp21 trillion), an increase of more than\nUS$250 million in just two quarters.<\/p>\n
Giamatteo identified three main drivers of this performance:\nautomakers\u2019 transition to advanced computing systems, an expanded\nsoftware portfolio, and strong demand for physical AI applications.<\/p>\n
Shares surge 142%<\/strong><\/p>\n Investors have responded positively to the transformation. BlackBerry\nshares have risen 142% so far in 2026, reversing a negative trend after\nyears of pressure.<\/p>\n BlackBerry\u2019s phones with physical keyboards once dominated the global\nsmartphone market before being displaced by Apple\u2019s iPhone and other\ntouchscreen devices.<\/p>\n When the company was still known as Research in Motion (RIM), its\nmarket capitalisation reached an all-time high of nearly US$85 billion\nin 2008. BlackBerry\u2019s market capitalisation currently stands at about\nUS$5.4 billion.<\/p>\n Giamatteo also highlighted BlackBerry\u2019s strategic partnership with\nchip giant Nvidia, which began in the automotive sector. Nvidia has now\nformally selected QNX as the standard platform for its Halos Safety\nStack.<\/p>\n \u201cThis partnership opens up so many exciting new opportunities, from\nautomated mobile robots (AMRs) and autonomous forklifts to automated\npallet-moving equipment in docking areas,\u201d Giamatteo said.<\/p>",
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