indicates that global humanoid robot shipments are expected to exceed 10,000 by 2027 and reach 38,000 units in 2030. This translates to a CAGR of 83% between 2024 and 2030.

2024 marks the breakthrough year for humanoid robots. Driven partially by the hype surrounding human-mimicking generative AI (GenAI), humanoid robots represent the next significant technological leap. Several factors have now aligned to make the bipedal anthropomorphous form factor ready for mass commercialization following extensive investment from tech pioneers such as Boston Dynamics.

The development cost for humanoid robots has now reached an optimal point, with key technologies such as servo motors, harmonic drives, and sensors, becoming more advanced. Additionally, improvements in on-device AI computing have enabled the integration of AI software for motion control, navigation, and computer vision. In line with these advancements, AI chip market leader NVIDIA has been actively promoting humanoid robots over the past six months recognizing their potential in the future of robotics automation due to the high demand for computational-intensive on-device AI.

Initial use cases of humanoid robots have focused on automotive manufacturing as this sector has seen early adoption from companies such as Tesla and Nio. Humanoid robots also hold potential in various other fields, including general manufacturing and logistical tasks, retail, food and beverage, customer service, and healthcare. Aside from Tesla, Nio, and Boston Dynamics, several startups are focusing on humanoid robots include Agility Robotics, Dataa Robotics, Dreame, Figure, Fourier Intelligence, UBTech, and Unitree.

Despite optimistic forecasts, humanoid robot technology remains in its infancy. The complexity of these robot complicate mass production and widepsread deployment, with most still in trial or proof-of-concept stage. Large-scale implementation is likely a few years away. “Chinese companies, such as Dataa Robotics are exploring the integration of foundation models into humanoid robots to enable natural language interactions between humans and robots,” comments Lian Jye Su, Chief Analyst at Omdia.

More importantly, the excitement around humanoid robots coincides with the bigger picture of the rising demand for robotics automation worldwide. Omdia expects strong growth with robotics deployment in the enterprise and industrial segments, mainly driven by automated guided vehicles , autonomous mobile robots, quadrupeds, and humanoid robots.

Robotics vendors are not not just boosting demand; they are also incorporating more human-centric design philosophy and automation into robot design, development, and deployment. “Robots are becoming safer through advancements in sensor fusion and navigation algorithms. Vendors are leveraging AI for task training, path planning and optimization, fleet management, and human-machine interfaces. Predictive and generative AI will have play a major role in democratizing AI in the robotics sector,” concludes Su.

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