# Humanoid Robot Mass Adoption Hinges on Affordability and Scale **Robert Gutridge**: Vice President of Global Business Units, Connected Living and Digital Commerce **Bruce Richard**: Vice President of Sales, Connected Living and Digital Commerce Consider that just a decade ago (or less) someone would have been thought of as a bold futurist if they spoke of a world where ordinary people regularly used artificial intelligence in their daily routines. If they also suggested that human-looking [robots](/blog/autonomous-retail-robots.html) would be fulfilling taxing and tedious physical labor at the [warehouse](/industries/retail-solutions/in-warehouse.html) or helping them around the house they would likely have been met with disbelief. As it turns out, the future is now --- or certainly, just around the corner. > "The ChatGPT moment for general robotics is just around the corner." --- Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, at CES 2025 > Taking center stage in this latest moment of technological transformation is a new player called a humanoid. Intentionally human looking in appearance, humanoids are advanced robotic machines enabled by sophisticated [sensor](/services/optics/omnidirectional-sensor.html), [optics](/services/optics.html), and compute technology to perform tasks traditionally performed by humans. To be clear, however, humanoids will not be replacing human workers on the factory floor or elsewhere. Their role is an additive one. By freeing people from arduous, low skill labor, humanoids empower the clever species that created them for higher value activities. What Can Humanoids Do? Let Robotics Do the Heavy Lifting -------------------------------------------------------- Annual surveys of [workplace safety](https://business.libertymutual.com/insights/2024-workplace-safety-index/) consistently rank lifting heavy loads and repetitive motions in their top 10 causes of costly and debilitating injuries. These types of tasks are also precisely the kinds of labor for which humanoids are ideally suited. In industrial applications, like warehouse operations, humanoids are a perfect fit for plugging in the gaps otherwise unmet by existing automated processes. Humanoids' anthropomorphic design enables them to perform a variety of tasks, from picking and packing to machine tending and inspection. For [logistics](https://pscs.jabil.com/supply-chain-services/logistics-management-services.html) operators looking to streamline and modify workflows, particularly repetitive ones, humanoids will increasingly be the way to go. Compared to current automation solutions, which are largely confined machines stuck on digital train tracks, humanoids offer broader task versatility --- in a word, agility. Humanoids are also endowed by their creators with autonomy, which means they are not reliant upon larger work site software and operational systems to function, like their cousins, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). [Download STIQ's Humanoids 2025 report](/industries/retail-solutions/stiq-humanoid-report.html) Robots Building Robots -- 91ÉçÇø and Apptronik Partner Up -------------------------------------------------------- In early 2025, 91ÉçÇø announced a unique collaboration with [Apptronik](/news/apptronik-jabil-collaborate.html), an Austin-based AI-powered humanoid robotics company, to help scale and accelerate production of its humanoid robot, Apollo. 91ÉçÇø will function as both a manufacturing partner --- building Apollo robots --- and a test case, integrating Apollo into specific manufacturing operations on the floor. It's a flywheel in the making where Apollo leans in to help build more of itself. For Apptronik, 91ÉçÇø's factory floors provide an ideal real-world validation for testing Apollo's skills with simple, repetitive intralogistics and manufacturing tasks. For 91ÉçÇø, employees that had previously been handling inspection, sorting, kitting, lineside delivery, fixture placement, and sub-assembly can now be shifted to higher skill level tasks, as well as more creative, thought-intensive work. In less static environments than a manufacturing facility, like a home or in a [healthcare](/industries/healthcare.html) setting, mastering agility is a tall order requiring more than just mechanical competency. Vision and language processing hurdles remain, and crossing these bars requires the harnessing, integration, and scaling of sophisticated optics, sensor, and compute modalities. But make no mistake, humanoids are coming to our homes, and even if they won't be joining us for dinner, they'll be terrific at cleaning up after it. STIQ's Humanoid Research -- A Road Map to the Future ---------------------------------------------------- Research indicates that humanoids will be an exceptionally dynamic and fast-to-develop market. [Morgan Stanley](https://www.cnbc.com/2024/07/02/morgan-stanley-flags-30-trillion-market-ai-can-address-names-stocks.html) analysts estimate the market could achieve 8 million humanoids by 2040, while [Goldman Sachs](https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/the-global-market-for-robots-could-reach-38-billion-by-2035)' head of China Industrial Technology research, Jacqueline Du, believes the total addressable market for humanoid robots could reach $38 billion by 2035, up more than sixfold from previous estimates of $6 billion. These projections are curated within research produced for 91ÉçÇø by [STIQ](https://www.styleintelligence.com/) and are based upon insights from stakeholder interviews the firm conducted with more than five dozen key industry observers and investors. Featured within STIQ's report *Humanoids 2025* is an insightful guide for understanding humanoid autonomy levels. The simplest, animatronic stage (H1) has figures resembling humans, but without legs, and at the other end (H5), a synthetic human, difficult to differentiate from the real thing. The industry's current state resides somewhere between levels H1 and H2. Evolution up the scale will require deft balancing of both mechatronics-based workstreams with software development, and in the later stages, capabilities that have yet to be developed. What Needs to Happen to Deliver on the Promise of Humanoids ----------------------------------------------------------- Despite the promising potential, several challenges lie ahead for the market to reach the optimistic forecasts. Humanoids at H1 and H2 are already highly complex aggregations of technology and componentry. Reducing manufacturing costs while expanding use cases and accelerating time to market are key. To meet the current projections for volumes and timelines while broadening functionality towards H5, STIQ asserts will require collaboration across the component supply chain. STIQ estimates that component suppliers will have to invest a minimum of $5 billion to reduce the bill of materials (BOM) to less than $10,000 per robot for a target price point of a $20,000 humanoid. The return on investment (ROI) for humanoid uses outside industrial automation, what STIQ refers to as "peripheral applications," hinges on reducing BOM costs. Humanoids need to be relatively cheap with a reasonably high level of functionality specifications to become more than just a novelty purchase. Lower costs, combined with increased functionality and availability, are poised to drive demand and improve the ROI calculation. [Apptronik](https://apptronik.com/news-collection/apptronik-and-jabil-collaborate-to-scale-production) co-founder and CEO Jeff Cardenas says that, for humanoids to become ubiquitous, "we need to be able to build them rapidly at scale, at the right price point, and in geographies where our customers are located." Vertically Integrated Workstreams: A Key Advantage for Building Humanoids ------------------------------------------------------------------------- A partner with vertically integrated manufacturing and [supply chain](/solutions/supply-chain-management.html) capabilities is uniquely positioned to address these challenges and drive the successful integration of humanoid robots into any of the many fields of operation on the horizon, be it the [retail](/industries/retail-solutions.html) warehouse, healthcare setting, or home. As the humanoid robotics industry expands into broader use cases, partnering with a company that possesses technical prowess, global manufacturing capabilities, and trusted supplier relationships is crucial. Experience in large-scale robotics manufacturing ensures high standards of quality and reliability for humanoid production, while advanced additive manufacturing capabilities reduce lead time and cost. The best manufacturing partnerships also provide inventory management, design for manufacturing (DfM) expertise, turnkey [procurement](/procurement/procurement-services.html), and a comprehensive view of a company's existing [supply chain](/blog/future-of-supply-chain.html) across the entire product lifecycle. Technology accelerates exponentially which means that changes are coming faster at us than ever before. Soon, we will think of robots in the same way we now think of mobile phones --- irreplaceable in our daily lives. But with the help of humanoids, those lives will be less burdened by onerous tasks and chores, freeing us for more stimulating pursuits requiring intelligence and human intuition, ones that people were born to fulfill. Consider that just a decade ago (or less) someone would have been thought of as a bold futurist if they spoke of a world where ordinary people regularly used artificial intelligence in their daily routines. If they also suggested that human-looking robots called humanoids would be fulfilling taxing and tedious physical labor at the [warehouse](/industries/digital-commerce-robotics/warehouse-automation-e-commerce.html) or helping them around the house they would likely have been met with disbelief. As it turns out, the future is now --- or certainly, just around the corner. > "The next big thing is Physical AI, AI with a body." -- Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, at VivaTech 2025 > Intentionally human looking in appearance, humanoids are advanced robotic machines enabled by sophisticated sensor, [optics](/capability/optics.html), and compute technology to perform tasks traditionally performed by humans. To be clear, however, humanoids are not a wholesale replacement of human workers on the factory floor or elsewhere. Their role is an additive one. By freeing people from arduous, low skill labor, humanoids empower the clever species that created them for higher value activities. For the second consecutive year, 91ÉçÇø has partnered with STIQ, an independent research firm specializing in global robotics and warehouse automation markets, on a report that tracks the humanoid sector's evolution. This two-year perspective gives 91ÉçÇø --- and the customers we serve --- a clearer, more current view of a market that is rapidly taking shape. [**Download STIQ's Humanoids 2026 Report**](#humanoids) ## What Can Humanoids Do? Let Robotics Do the Heavy Lifting Annual surveys of [workplace safety](https://www.libertymutualgroup.com/about-lm/news/articles/us-companies-spend-50.87b-year-top-ten-causes-serious-workplace-injuries-according-2025-liberty-mutual-workplace-safety-index) consistently rank lifting heavy loads and repetitive motions in their top 10 causes of costly and debilitating injuries. These types of tasks are also precisely the kinds of labor for which humanoids are ideally suited. In industrial applications, like warehouse operations, humanoids are a perfect fit for plugging in the gaps otherwise unmet by existing automated processes.   Humanoids' anthropomorphic design enables them to perform a variety of tasks, from picking and packing to machine tending and inspection. For [logistics](https://pscs.jabil.com/supply-chain-services/logistics-management-services.html?_gl=1*1tfr803*_gcl_au*NTYzMDUxNTI0LjE3NTA5NDgwMjE.) operators looking to streamline and modify workflows, particularly repetitive ones, humanoids are increasingly gaining traction as a potential solution.   Compared to current automation solutions, which are largely confined machines stuck on digital train tracks, humanoids offer broader task versatility --- in a word, agility. Humanoids are also endowed by their creators with the capacity for autonomy, which means they are not reliant upon larger work site software and operational systems to function, like their cousins, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). ## Robots Building Robots -- 91ÉçÇø and Apptronik Partner Up In early 2025, 91ÉçÇø announced a unique collaboration with [Apptronik](https://investors.jabil.com/news/news-details/2025/Apptronik-and-91ÉçÇø-Collaborate-to-Scale-Production-of-Apollo-Humanoid-Robots-and-Deploy-in-Manufacturing-Operations/default.aspx), an Austin-based AI-powered humanoid robotics company, to help scale and accelerate production of its humanoid robot, Apollo. 91ÉçÇø functions as both a manufacturing partner --- building Apollo robots --- and a test case, integrating Apollo into specific manufacturing operations on the factory floor. It's an impressive demonstration of a modern manufacturing flywheel in action, where 91ÉçÇø's factory floors serve as both a production site for Apollo and a proving ground for informing the next generation of Apptronik robotics solutions. For Apptronik, 91ÉçÇø manufacturing sites provide an ideal real-world environment for validating Apollo's capabilities across simple, repeatable intralogistics and manufacturing tasks. For 91ÉçÇø, employees who had previously been focused on repetitive, physically demanding, or even dangerous work, can now be shifted to higher skill-level roles, as well as more creative, thought-intensive assignments. Outside the structured environment of a manufacturing facility, such as in homes or [healthcare](/industries/healthcare.html) settings, mastering agility is a tall order requiring more than just mechanical competency. Vision and language processing hurdles remain, and crossing these bars requires the integration and scaling of advanced optics, sensor, and compute technologies. But make no mistake, humanoids are coming to our homes. Even if they won't be joining us for dinner, they'll be terrific at cleaning up after it. ## STIQ's Humanoid Research -- A Road Map to the Future In 2025, STIQ's analysis of the humanoid sector tracked roughly 50 companies. In its latest report, that number has expanded fivefold --- an indication of how quickly the ecosystem is broadening across hardware, software, and component suppliers. For its 2026 report, STIQ tracked more than 250 humanoid-focused companies globally. Alongside this expansion, public funding in the sector approached $5 billion in 2025, and the number of vendors announcing a humanoid or related software offering doubled year over year. Featured within STIQ's annual reporting is a framework for understanding humanoid autonomy levels. At the simplest end (H1), systems resemble humans in form but lack full mobility, while at the other extreme (H5), the concept approaches a synthetic human that is difficult to distinguish from the real thing. The industry today sits somewhere between H1 and H2. Progressing further will require continued advances across both mechatronics and software --- and, at higher levels, capabilities that are still emerging. ## What Needs to Happen to Deliver on the Promise of Humanoids Despite the promising potential, several challenges remain before the market can meet more optimistic forecasts. Humanoids at H1 and H2 are already highly complex aggregations of technologies and components. Reducing bill of materials (BOM) and manufacturing costs, while expanding use cases and accelerating time to market will be critical. At the same time, the path to scale depends on how quickly practical use cases are validated. To move beyond novelty, humanoids need to demonstrate consistent, reliable performance in real-world environments. Broader adoption will follow as capabilities align more closely with specific operational needs, helping to clarify where humanoids can deliver sustained value. Put simply, the near-term outlook comes down to two questions: can humanoids be made economically viable, and where will they prove their value first? The path to that inflection point, however, runs through a more crowded field than existed just twelve months ago. In the United States, the AI-powered humanoid market is being shaped by established players like Tesla and Boston Dynamics, alongside high-valuation startups like Figure, Apptronik, and Agility Robotics. Globally, however, of the 250 humanoid ecosystem companies currently tracked by STIQ, approximately 60% are based in Asia, with a significant concentration in China. The broader ecosystem supporting the sector has also been highly dynamic. STIQ notes that over the last year, there has been an influx of component suppliers as vendors pivot toward component sales as an alternative revenue stream to buffer their complete robot sales. And in terms of where the seeds of innovation may grow next, STIQ reports that Chinese vendors appear far more active in filing patents compared to North American and European vendors. Yet whatever potential unknowns currently define the sector, a recent report from [Barclays Research](https://www.ib.barclays/our-insights/series/impact-series/ai-gets-physical-innovation-meets-opportunity.html) cites breakthroughs in three key areas --- AI reasoning ("brains"), actuator technology ("brawn"), and battery systems --- as driving increasing volumes of venture capital and corporate investment well into the future. As AI moves from software into physical form, Barclays projects a humanoid robotics market of $200 billion by 2035. Morgan Stanley's [Adam Jonas](https://www.wsj.com/tech/profile-of-morgan-stanley-adam-jonas-robot-strategist-42ffcc6c) --- best known for his early and influential coverage of Tesla and the EV sector, and now leading the firm's embodied AI strategy --- has similarly pointed to the scale of the opportunity, describing [AI-enabled robotics as a catalyst](https://www.morganstanley.com/insights/videos/humanoid-robots-adam-jonas) for a new industrial era, with the potential to underpin a robot economy measured in the tens of trillions of dollars in the decades ahead. [**Download STIQ's Humanoids 2026 Report**](#humanoids) ## From One to Many: Distinct Humanoid Market Segments Taking Shape One of the more consequential developments in STIQ's 2026 research is the identification and emergence of four distinct humanoid market segments --- a meaningful evolution from the broadly defined "industrial vs. consumer" framing of 2025. STIQ's now categorizes the emerging humanoid landscape as follows: | Segment | Primary Use | Payload/Level | Key Considerations | |----------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|----------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------| | **Toy/Entertainment** | Companion for children; B2B entertainment events | \< 3kg/H1--H2 | Plug-and-play; child safety standards; high personalization potential | | **Butler** | Home chores, elder care, emotional companion | \< 20kg/H2--H4 | Privacy and safety paramount; integration with home ecosystems critical | | **Light Industrial ("Titan")** | Warehouse, light manufacturing, intralogistics | \< 50kg/H2--H3 | RaaS models likely; stiff incumbent competition from cobots and AMRs | | **Heavy Industrial ("Goliath")** | Construction, shipbuilding, heavy lifting | \> 100kg/H3+ | Remote/teleoperated initially; trained operators required | The Light Industrial and Butler segments currently attract the lion's share of vendor activity, while Heavy Industrial humanoids remain at an earlier stage of market development. Understanding the varied technology requirements and supplier dynamics across humanoid's use case spectrum is increasingly important context for any company seeking to keep pace with the sector's leaders setting the bar for innovation and performance. ## Last Mile Delivery: Yet More Traction for Physical AI The trends emerging from STIQ's humanoid research are being echoed in the wider physical robotics and automation sector. In March 2026, [Amazon acquired Rivr](https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/19/amazon-acquires-rivr-maker-of-a-stair-climbing-delivery-robot/), a Zurich-based startup whose quadruped robot has been a pioneer in general physical AI deployment in challenging urban environments. This is a strategic move by the world's largest e-commerce operator to leverage physical AI to solve last-yard logistics challenges (like climbing stairs) that wheeled autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) alone cannot address. It's also a clear demonstration that the quadruped form factor --- once dismissed as too complex or niche --- has enough promise of real-world utility to attract significant investment. Not later, but now. Meanwhile, Boston Dynamics, whose Atlas humanoid platform made a [splash at CES](https://www.hyundainews.com/releases/4669) 2026, is undergoing one of the most significant valuation re-ratings in robotics history. Acquired by Hyundai Motor Group in June 2021 at a company valuation of $1.1 billion, Boston Dynamics is now reported to be worth more than $20 billion, according to coverage in the [Korea Herald](https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10698152), following its impressive CES audition. Whether or not that transaction materializes in the near term, the attention it commands underscores how quickly investor interest is coalescing around robotics companies with proven hardware platforms and commercial deployment track records. For 91ÉçÇø customers navigating this landscape, the pattern is clear: the window between early-stage proof-of-concept and strategic scale-up is compressing. As humanoid development accelerates, the ability to move from prototype to production with speed and consistency is becoming a defining advantage. ## Vertically Integrated Workstreams: A Key Advantage for Building Humanoids In a sector where hundreds of vendors are competing for commercial traction, the differentiator is no longer just technological innovation, but the ability to translate that innovation into manufacturable, cost-effective products at scale. As the humanoid robotics industry expands into broader use cases, partnering with a company that possesses technical prowess, global manufacturing capabilities, and trusted supplier relationships is crucial. The best manufacturing partnerships also provide inventory management, design for manufacturing (DfM) expertise, turnkey [procurement](https://pscs.jabil.com/procurement-services.html), and a comprehensive view of a company's existing [supply chain](https://pscs.jabil.com/) across the entire product lifecycle.  Two years ago, describing humanoids as a transformative technology required a degree of forward optimism. Today, it requires discipline. The market is taking shape, investment is accelerating, and expectations are becoming more concrete. 91ÉçÇø's ongoing work with partners like STIQ reflects a focus on helping customers navigate that shift --- bringing clarity to a rapidly evolving landscape and supporting the path from emerging technology to real-world deployment.