China built robots that can do backflips
Wood Mackenzie expects the global humanoid robot fleet to grow more than 90% annually through 2035 to surpass 10 million units. Annual shipments are projected to top 4 million by then.
Key takeaways
- The most recent reports show that humanoid robots are moving from high‑profile demos toward limited commercial use while shipment volumes surge.
- Smart Analytics Global recorded roughly 19,100 units shipped worldwide in the first half of 2026 – more than three times the figure a year earlier – and projects full‑year deliveries near 60,000, with some analysts expecting as many as 100,000 units by year‑end.
- China dominates the market, supplying about 97 % of H1 shipments, backed by supportive policies such as new tariff codes for intelligent robots and insurance coverage for export projects.
- Unitree Robotics, the former global leader, is preparing a record‑size IPO on Shanghai’s STAR Market after shipping over 5,500 humanoids in 2025, and its low‑cost G1 model now costs about $16,000 with minimal electricity use.
- In the United States, Tau Robotics has launched a pilot that rents $30‑per‑hour humanoid cleaners to San Francisco households, though analysts say broad home adoption will still take several years.
Buyer next steps
Compare source-backed options on HumanoidHub
Use HumanoidHub catalog records and buyer guides to verify robot availability, source links, and shortlist fit before contacting manufacturers.
Wood Mackenzie expects the global humanoid robot fleet to grow more than 90% annually through 2035 to surpass 10 million units. Annual shipments are projected to top 4 million by then. China is already the dominant player, accounting for more than 70% of global industrial robot installations and nearly 90% of all humanoids deployed last year, according to the research firm.
Average humanoid robot prices have plunged 93% between 2020 and 2025 to $58,000, according to Wood Mackenzie. The firm projects that Unitree's $16,000 flagship G1 model costs just $82 a year in electricity to run for eight hours a day, but says wider adoption could add pressure to electricity systems already stretched by AI data centers. While the humanoid robotics industry has a long way to go, the potential market opportunity has led to Tesla CEO Elon Musk doubling down on robotics, converting EV production lines at the company's Fremont factory to make Optimus humanoid robots. Production is expected to start later this year.
Some researchers argue Unitree isn't just a humanoid bet. Humanoids are Unitree's largest business, but quadruped robots still account for a sizable share. Purpose-built robots can be cheaper and more reliable in repetitive industrial settings, while humanoids are best-suited for unpredictable and less structured environments, they say.
Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news. thumbnail
Elaine Yu@yuenok
thumbnail
Anniek Bao@in/anniek-bao-460a48107/@anniekbyx
WATCH LIVE
Key Points
Investors expect a big first-day pop from Unitree, whose robots can throw kung fu kicks and bounce back from falls. Skeptics are questioning how long it will take before these robots can perform genuinely useful work. Falling robot prices and Chinese government support are fueling interest in the emerging sector: analyst.
An exhibitor demonstrates a Unitree Robotics G1 humanoid robot at the Humanoids Summit in Tokyo, Japan, on Friday, May 29, 2026.
Kiyoshi Ota | Bloomberg | Getty Images
New robots, funding, and signals. Every Thursday.
Unsubscribe anytime.
Mentioned in this article