Humanoid Robots Conquering Industry

Driven by advances in artificial intelligence and the miniaturisation of components, humanoid robots are now capable of walking, manipulating objects and interacting dynamically in environments designed for humans. It is certainly enough to attract industrialists and logistics players, who see these robots as a tool for productivity and operational efficiency, in a context of the ramping up of industrial production, shorter delivery times and labour shortages.  

According to the World Robotics 2024¹ report by the International Federation of Robotics, more than 4 million industrial robots were installed worldwide in 2023, compared to 1.3 million 10 years ago. And this is only the beginning. With the continuous decrease in manufacturing costs and the increase in investments, these bipedal machines are expected to become increasingly established in the industrial environment. 

A market dominated by the United States and China

According to Goldman Sachs, the global humanoid robot market will reach $38 billion by 2035. Today, this global dynamic is driven by the United States and China, which are investing massively in these technologies. Indeed, these robots are generating growing interest from venture capital funds, as well as from technology giants such as NVIDIA, OpenAI, Microsoft and Google. According to the report "Humanoid 100: mapping the humanoid robot value chain²" published by Morgan Stanley in February 2025, 52 of the 100 best companies in the sector are now engaged in the development of humanoids.  

In the United States, Tesla kicked off the trend in 2021 with the highly publicised launch of its Optimus robot, intended to work in its factories but which, at least up to now, has not gone beyond the demonstration stage. Since then, other actors have taken up the baton. Amazon has been experimenting since 2023 with Agility Robotics' Digit robots to store empty crates in its warehouses near Seattle, for example. With around 750,000 robots operating in its warehouses, Amazon Robotics is one of the world's leading manufacturers of logistics machinery. As for car manufacturers, BMW and Mercedes-Benz have recently been experimenting with humanoid robots for carrying out certain logistics tasks. 

In turn, China has made humanoid robotics a national priority, with the stated ambition of achieving mass production. The Chinese manufacturer Fourier Intelligence already claims to be producing its humanoid robot, GR-1, on an industrial scale. For the third consecutive year, more than 500,000 industrial robot units have been installed worldwide, with 51% in China, according to the World Robotics 2024 Report. Over the past five years, the number of patent applications related to humanoid robots grew to 5,688 in China, compared to 1,483 in the United States, positioning the China as the world leader in this type of patent application.  

Leveraging the re-industrialisation of Europe 

Faced with the progressive relocation of factories outside the European continent and the structural shortage of skilled labour, humanoid robots have been identified as a strategic tool for re-industrialisation and technological sovereignty. Their ability to move intelligently in environments designed for humans, without having to reconfigure entire production lines, constitutes an immediate gain in flexibility and cost. Unlike conventional industrial robots, humanoids are also capable of adapting to on-demand production and mixed production lines, a growing need in European industries with high complexity, such as aeronautics or electronics. 

On the political front, programmes such as Horizon Europe³, the European Union's main funding programme for research and innovation, is actively funding research in collaborative robotics and embedded intelligence. For its part, France has planned to invest 800 million euros in the robotics sector as part of the France 2030 initiative. The French State has already launched two calls for projects, one for €30 million dedicated particularly to research, the other for €50 million to help companies that have already developed robots to reach the industrialisation stage. Bpifrance is actively participating in this process, whilst deeptech funds are also gaining momentum.  

Falling behind compared to the United States and China 

While Europe has been a pioneer in fundamental robotics research and has advanced skills and recognised players (Exotec and Pollen Robotics in France, PAL Robotics in Spain and Neura Robotics in Germany), it is unfortunately also demonstrating a notable industrial lag. As evidence, only 17% of the approximately 4 million industrial robots installed worldwide in 2023 are located in Europe, again according to the World Robotics 2024 Report. To move on to the next stage and establish itself as a major player, Europe needs to bridge the gap between research and industrial exploitation of humanoid robots. Such a transition will require private investment levels that are far higher than current levels. While the French startup Inbolt raised €15 million in 2024 for its robotic vision systems, the American company Agility Robotics has raised $180 million since its creation. And Figure AI has reached 675 million dollars raised in 2022, with the support of tech giants, such as Microsoft, OpenAI and Jeff Bezos.  

Another potential brake on the industrial development of humanoid robots is European technological culture. Centred on a more ethical and regulated approach, it favours a controlled deployment. The United States and China however are engaged in a logic of rapid scalability and geopolitical competition, while Europe is defending a responsible approach to automation, in line with its social and environmental standards. A sensible choice certainly, but one that risks slowing down the large-scale industrial deployment of humanoid robots in Europe.