These robots are coming for the jobs no one wants — and could fill workforce gaps - Business Insider
The Oregon-based startup has so far deployed its humanoid robot, Digit, at Amazon, Schaeffler Group, and GXO, a logistics company. The startup announced in February that a few Digit robots would be deployed in Toyota's massive manufacturing plant in Canada...
Key takeaways
The most recent developments in humanoid robotics show a rapid move from laboratory prototypes to real‑world deployments across industry, consumer markets and research. In early March, Xiaomi ran trials of its CyberOne humanoid on an electric‑vehicle production line, signalling the company’s intent to use bipedal robots for assembly tasks in its automotive factories. At the same time, the Pittsburgh Robotics Network forecast that 2026 will see the first affordable humanoids—priced below $20,000—enter mass production, with Agility Robotics leading the push by raising $400 million and securing a partnership with Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada to trial its Digit platform in automotive plants. Other manufacturers are also testing humanoids: BMW evaluated Hexagon’s Aeon robot at its Leipzig plant, while Mercedes‑Benz is experimenting with Apptronik‑built bots for parts handling and inspection. Chinese firms such as Unitree and Shanghai‑based AgiBot are scaling production, with Unitree offering models under $20 k and AgiBot reportedly delivering nearly a thousand units. Consumer‑focused robotics gained attention at Mobile World Congress, where Honor unveiled a humanoid robot integrated with its AI‑enabled device ecosystem, hinting at future household applications. In the venture space, San Francisco‑based startup Sunday secured a $1.15 billion valuation to develop home‑service humanoids, underscoring strong investor confidence. Parallel to commercial advances, the 2026 Robotics Summit & Expo will host a keynote panel featuring Agility Robotics, Boston Dynamics and ASTM International to assess current capabilities, safety standards and the roadmap for industrial adoption. Finally, Korea’s Institute of Machinery and Materials announced its RoGeTA framework, an AI system that lets robots learn everyday tasks by observing humans, aiming to broaden service‑robot use in retail, logistics and office environments. Together, these announcements illustrate a convergence of lower costs, expanded testing in factories, emerging consumer products and coordinated standards efforts that together mark 2026 as a pivotal year for humanoid robots.
The Oregon-based startup has so far deployed its humanoid robot, Digit, at Amazon, Schaeffler Group, and GXO, a logistics company. The startup announced in February that a few Digit robots would be deployed in Toyota's massive manufacturing plant in Canada, marking yet another automaker betting on bipedal bots.
Daniel Diez, Agility's chief business officer, told Business Insider that there's a common thread at the companies he visits around the world. In Germany, Korea, Japan, or the US, manufacturers just don't have enough people who want to work mundane, repetitive jobs.
"It's the same exact issue: Labor gaps in these highly repetitive physical tasks," Diez said. "They simply can't find the people to do this work." Save Saved Read in app
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Agility Robotics is deploying humanoid robots at Toyota's Canada manufacturing plant. The company says its robot, Digit, will take on jobs involving highly repetitive tasks. Agility's chief business officer, Daniel Diez, said companies see labor gaps in these positions.
Backflipping robots make for splashy demos and viral videos, but Agility Robotics sees humanoid bots doing something simpler — solving an urgent global labor issue inside manufacturing plants. "This re-shoring of manufacturing in the US is going to only occur through a combination of human employment and automation technology, like humans and robotics," he said.
Automakers are notably bracing for this shifting tide. Tesla, Volkswagen, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, and Hyundai, among others, have made significant investments in humanoid robots with the prospect that they'll work the assembly lines in the near future.
Boston Dynamics in January unveiled a new iteration of Atlas, an all-electric humanoid, that the startup aims to deploy in Hyundai's Georgia factory in a few years.
The company's former CEO, Robert Playter, previously told Business Insider that Boston Dynamics is helping companies brace for population decline and increased manufacturing demand.
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