Humanoid robot sales: Estimated 90,000 units to ship this year - Bank of America Global Research

Around 7,000 humanoid robots were sold worldwide last year, according to the International Federation of Robotics. But most weren't bought to work alongside humans just yet. The IFR says the bulk went to institutions and companies to help develop and improve AI models. So what exactly counts as a humanoid robot? Under the IFR's definition, it needs to have a human-like appearance and be able to operate autonomously in an environment designed for people. Legs, however, are optional. The technology is already attracting billions of dollars in investments. And humanoid robot shipments are expected to accelerate sharply. Bank of America Global Research estimates around 90,000 this year, and annual shipments to reach 1.2 million within the next four years. China is expected to be at the centre of that growth. But the race to build more humanoids is moving faster than their ability to perform reliably in the real world. And as developers race to give these machines more powerful AI, concerns are also growing about how safely that intelligence can be controlled.