When robots meet commercial reality - Financial Times
Robot enthusiasts believe a new breed of humanoid robots will make further inroads into physical work. One of the great advantages of building robots that look like humans is that — in theory — you can slot them seamlessly into workplaces that are already b...
Key takeaways
The most recent developments in humanoid robotics show a mix of promising deployments and persistent technical hurdles. In mid‑January, UK‑based Humanoid and Siemens completed a proof‑of‑concept at Siemens’ electronics factory in Erlangen, where the wheeled HMND 01 Alpha robot logged continuous autonomous operation for over 30 minutes, moved 60 totes per hour and ran for more than eight hours without interruption, demonstrating that humanoid‑type platforms can meet industrial‑logistics metrics. Around the same time, AI‑focused startup 1X unveiled a “world model” that lets its Neo humanoid learn tasks directly from video captured by the robot itself, reducing reliance on human tele‑operators and promising broader generalisation of actions. At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, several manufacturers displayed bipedal assistants, but demonstrations were plagued by stability and perception glitches, underscoring that current home‑service robots remain far from reliable. Industry analysts at the International Federation of Robotics noted that such setbacks are offset by accelerating shipments: AGIBOT reported shipping more than 5,100 humanoid units in 2025, contributing to a total global shipment of roughly 13 000 units that year and fueling forecasts that annual deliveries could reach 2.6 million by 2035. Meanwhile, Chinese firm UBTECH’s 2025 rollout of over 1,000 Walker S2 units to factories illustrates the first large‑scale commercial use of fully autonomous, object‑handling humanoids, even as broader adoption is still in its early stages. Together, these stories indicate that while large‑scale manufacturing integration is gaining traction, everyday consumer applications and robust performance at public demos remain significant challenges for the sector.
Robot enthusiasts believe a new breed of humanoid robots will make further inroads into physical work. One of the great advantages of building robots that look like humans is that — in theory — you can slot them seamlessly into workplaces that are already built for humans. That could make the deployment of robots more gradual and flexible, and less of an enormous upfront bet. But even if humanoids do achieve human-level capabilities this year, as Huang predicts, there will still be practical problems for businesses to consider. First, to deploy AI-powered humanoid robots alongside humans in the workplace, you need to be confident they are safe. In a white-collar setting, a hallucinating chatbot might make up a number or reference and damage your reputation or your bottom line. In a blue-collar setting, a malfunctioning humanoid could be physically dangerous. Second, humanoid and canine robots just don’t have much stamina for now, because of limitations with battery technology. As James Pikul, associate professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has written, the Boston Dynamics robot Spot can only operate for about 90 minutes before it needs to recharge. By way of comparison, it is common for human staff in factories and warehouses to work 10-hour shifts with a couple of breaks.
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