Humanoid robot technology is rapidly evolving, promising more natural interactions, greater task versatility, and the ability to undertake dangerous activities in place of humans. Currently, these robots are widely used in industrial environments, such as factories, warehouses, and distribution centers, where they perform repetitive or physically demanding operations, like moving boxes and supplying production lines.
Although there are tests in sectors such as healthcare, customer service, research, and domestic services, these uses are still in the experimental phase. Most humanoids available today operate in pilot projects or in very specific industrial tasks, far from being fully generalist robots.
The sector has shown significant progress, driven by advances in artificial intelligence. In June 2024, Agility Robotics launched the Digit robot in a logistics unit. Furthermore, Figure AI established a collaboration with BMW, and after implementing the Figure 02 robot on the assembly line in 2025, the latest version, Figure 03, began operating in a factory located in South Carolina.
Other highlights include Hyundai's acquisition of a Boston Dynamics Atlas. On the other hand, notable examples come from China: AgiBot robots are already operating on electronics production lines, while the Walker S robot, developed by UBTECH, was tested at the Chinese automaker NIO's factory. UBTECH itself also focuses on ultra-realistic humanoids to provide emotional support and assistance in the healthcare field. More recently, in July, Weave Robotics presented the Isaac 1, a device that promises to assist with household chores for $8,000.
Estimates on the size of this market vary considerably. Analysts and consulting firms predict a value between $2 billion and $11 billion for 2026, with the potential to grow to between $35 billion and $200 billion over the next ten years. Morgan Stanley raised this projection, estimating that the humanoid market, including supply chains, maintenance, and repairs, could reach $5 trillion by 2050, with over one billion units in use by mid-century.
According to Morgan Stanley, approximately 90% of humanoids will be dedicated to repetitive tasks, mainly in industry and commerce. Residential use will be more restricted, projecting 80 million units by 2050.
China is pointed to as the market leader, with a forecast of 302 million robots, compared to the 78 million projected for the United States. Domestically, Americans should have an advantage, with 15 million humanoids in about 10% of homes, versus 4 million in China, representing 3% of residences.
To increase popularity, cost reduction is essential. Currently, in China, Unitree is a prominent company; its simplest model, the G1, is available for $13,500, while the more sophisticated model, H1, costs around $90,000.
China demonstrated its technological advancement in February by displaying locally manufactured humanoid robots during the CCTV Spring Festival, the country's most-watched television program, in dance and martial arts performances. In August of the previous year, the World Humanoid Robot Games, known as the 'Robot Olympics', were held, bringing together hundreds of machines from 280 teams and companies from 16 nations. In the United States, Tesla announced in January that it would cease production of the Model S and Model X to concentrate its efforts on manufacturing Optimus, a bipedal and intelligent robot intended to perform both factory and domestic functions.
Humanoid robots once belonged to the world of science fiction, but today they have turned into a rapidly developing hardware market. Large global corporations are competing to create the most maneuverable machine, while Chinese manufacturers are changing paradigms by making this technology more accessible.
Nevertheless, an unresolved issue remains in the industry related to production capacity—factories.
Humanoid robots equipped with artificial intelligence may begin to be evaluated for performing military functions involving weaponry as early as 2027, according to Foundation Future Industries, a company based in the United States. This company has already conducted tests with its devices in Ukrainian territory.
The company, which is dedicated to developing humanoid machines for both civilian and military purposes, clarifies that the technology is not intended to replace drones, but rather to operate in land missions where the presence of soldiers poses a high risk, especially in operations requiring high precision.
This technological advancement occurs against a backdrop of intense global debate regarding the use of autonomous weapons and the ethical limits of applying artificial intelligence in conflict scenarios. For Foundation Future Industries, the robots have very specific applications, such as in complex missions that require damage control and structural preservation.
Foundation Future Industries, under the leadership of executive Sankaet Pathak, assesses that humanoids are not suitable for being used as tools of indiscriminate destruction, given that other systems, such as bombs, already fulfill this function more economically.
In a conversation with Euronews, Pathak commented that public opinion tends to associate military robots with scenarios seen in science fiction movies, but he argued that the practical use of these machines follows a distinct operational logic. He stated: 'I think we have this psychological reaction, that [things would be] like in the movie Terminator, but the reality is that, if you really think from a practical point of view, it is not like that.'
According to the executive, the humanoids could be employed in situations that require a more cautious action, minimizing the dangers of damaging infrastructure or harming civilians. He also emphasized that the increased exposure of soldiers in terrestrial environments opens up space for machines to assume certain responsibilities.
The company reported that its Phantom robots have already been tested in Ukraine, focusing primarily on tasks related to the military environment. The assessed uses include material transport, movement of supplies in internal and external areas, site reconnaissance, and assistance in environmental mapping.
The humanoids developed by Foundation use artificial intelligence based on models capable of interpreting the physical environment and anticipating potential future events. Unlike language models, which focus on word prediction, these systems aim to represent scenarios and movements in the real world.
According to Pathak, the development of these so-called world models is crucial for creating more adaptable artificial intelligence systems. However, the company does not disclose which suppliers collaborate in building its technology.
The executive also refuted the idea that a malicious artificial intelligence would opt for a vast army of humanoid robots to attack humanity. For him, more probable threats in an extreme scenario would be represented by drones or nuclear arsenals. He explained: 'If the goal of an artificial intelligence were to destroy humanity, I guarantee it would not send 100 thousand humanoids. I think it would use drones or nuclear arsenals.'
Pathak identified terrorism amplified by artificial intelligence as a more immediate concern, specifically linked to the misuse of publicly accessible models to carry out cyberattacks, promote disinformation campaigns, or adapt commercial drones for offensive purposes.
This debate occurs parallel to discussions by the United Nations on defining specific rules for lethal autonomous weapon systems. The text reports that, currently, there is no treaty dedicated exclusively to combat humanoid robots, and such technologies remain subject to existing international humanitarian law norms.
After the trials conducted in Ukrainian territory, Foundation reformulated its equipment to withstand more rigorous environmental conditions. The subsequent version of the robot, named Phantom 2, will be water and dust resistant, in addition to having greater operational capacity.
The company announced that the load capacity of the first model was about 25 to 30 kilograms, increasing to approximately 80 kilograms in the new version. Furthermore, impact tolerance was increased from a range between 12 and 15 Gs to almost 100 Gs. The new equipment will also be equipped with a 3 kilowatt-hour battery.
Currently, the company rents its Phantom robots to commercial clients for about US$ 100,000 annually per unit, a similar amount charged to military buyers. Among the company's investors are Eric Trump, son of US President Donald Trump, Stripe, and the venture capital firm Define, according to data provided by the company itself.
