Humanoid Workers On A Permanent Basis? It Can Be The New Frontier Of Industrial Robotics! With Bain
By Piero Macrì
These advanced androids learn from experience and interact with the environment thanks to generative AI. Used for assembly, logistics and predictive maintenance: without replacing humans. Italy is second in Europe for robotic installations: it has the skills to be a protagonist in a market that could be worth 160 billion dollars by 2035. Experiments for Tesla and Boston Dynamics, Figure AI, Uptronic, Agility Robotics, Sanctuary AI, Ubtech, Unitree, Neura and OneX. DAVIDE IORIO and EMANUELE VERATTI talk about it
Will the humanoid robot be able to be hired on a permanent basis with the role of specialized worker in factories and industrial plants? Enthusiasm is skyrocketing. Globally, there are more than 20 companies that are investing in it. From Tesla, which developed its Optimus, to Boston Dynamics, which designed the Android Atlas in collaboration with the Toyota Research Institute. But among the protagonists there are above all startups: the American Figure AI, Apptronik, Agility Robotics and Sanctuary AI, the Chinese Ubtech and Unitree, and the emerging Neura and OneX in Europe. They are the newcomers of advanced robotics, a market parallel to the mainstream one, which is expected to soon capitalize on the investments made so far. In fact, we are moving from the prototyping phase to real industrialization.
A market with growth potential to US$160 billion in 2035, supported by the rapid development of microchips and behavioral models for generative AI, the technologies of the new robotics. “Humanoid robots are redefining the way companies address productivity and efficiency issues and could soon be an integral part of next-generation smart factories,” says partner at Bain & Company Davide Iorio. Their strength? They do not act according to a pre-programmed sequence, they learn from experience. Anthropomorphic automatons that have artificial intelligence on board to act autonomously, interacting with the physical environment thanks to visual and multisensory capabilities.
“Maximizing the potential of humanoid robotics will become a strategic priority for all companies that want to innovate processes and gain new competitiveness. What these machines can do depends on how their learning capabilities are exploited.” In short, after a period of training, humanoid robots will be able to become an integral part of the workforce. What can we really expect? What will be the future of humanoid robots in smart factories? With Bain & Company, we analyse the market scenario, the operating logic and the intelligence quotient of new machines. Last but not least, the developments of Nvidia’s AI technology and the application cases, from the android Figure AI, being tested at BMW, to Ubtech’s Walker being used in the Chinese plants of the Taiwanese Foxconn dedicated to the production of iPhones.
A rapidly evolving market in which Italy could play an important role. “We are the second European country for robots installed. There are advanced industrial and system integration skills. And we are no less in research. Just think of the Italian Institute of Technology, one of the most advanced companies globally in the field of humanoid robotics. In short, in Italy there are all the fundamentals to be able to develop humanoid robotics solutions and services,” says Mr. Iorio.
Bain & Company’s new technology study predicts that the global market for artificial intelligence-related hardware and software, the sector in which humanoid robotics belongs, is set to grow between 40 per cent and 55 per cent per year, reaching a value of between US$780 billion and US$990 billion by 2027. No conflict in the world of work? “As happened in previous technological and industrial revolutions, man must learn to interact with the machine to create added value,” says partner and digital practice leader at Bain & Company Emanuele Veratti. For companies, the challenge is to understand how man can continue to be part of production processes by interacting with machines, detaching himself from lower-value activities. “The challenge is twofold: to embrace the opportunities offered by AI and robotics, while keeping human value at the center,” says Mr. Veratti. Only companies capable of investing in staff reskilling and automation will be able to lead this revolution. The goal is to free up time and energy so that people can work in a more targeted way on the quality of the product and the process”
Humanoids, sensorized machines capable of replicating movements, interactions and tasks in a completely natural way. Unlike other robots, they can operate in environments designed for humans, in a factory or in a space shuttle, without the need to prepare structural adaptations, as is the case for traditional robotics. “They do not replace human work, but support it, improving the efficiency and safety of workers. As if to say, these are the real collaborative robots,” says Iorio. AI allows them to learn and adapt over time. They are trained to perform specific tasks and can improve performance with experience. Unlike traditional robotics, where artificial intelligence can be seen as a simple control engine, in humanoid robotics, AI is pervasive and integrates every aspect of the robot, controlling actions with sensory logic. As Iorio says, “It learns from interactions with other robots or human workers and adapts its behavior in real time. An autonomous learning ability that allows them to improve performance over time and adapt to new situations.” In short, AI in humanoid robotics replicates human behavior naturally. As Iorio explains, “They learn to perform a certain action not because they have been programmed to do it, but because they have seen it done. And then decision making to the nth degree, as they are able to act autonomously in complex and contextual situations.”
Assembly, inspections for predictive maintenance, intralogistics handling, data center automation. Humanoid robotics is no longer a futuristic concept from Space Odyssey
“Although the sector is still emerging, its impact on the world of work is set to grow rapidly. Investments are focusing on enhancing technology, with applications in strategic areas such as automotive, manufacturing, logistics and aerospace,” says senior manager of Bain & Company Gianmarco Rallo. We are, therefore, no longer talking about the technology of the future, from A Space Odyssey: maximizing the potential of humanoid robotics will be a strategic priority. “In those companies where there is already a high density of robotics, even SMEs, it is beginning to be evaluated as an additional component of automation to maintain competitiveness and innovate production processes,” says Iorio. In the factory, they can be used for lifting heavy loads.
Elon Musk has announced his intention to bring the humanoid robot to work on Tesla’s assembly lines during 2025, and then put it on the market in 2026.
In mining and metals plants and oil & gas, where there is a safety issue, they will be able to perform predictive maintenance activities through constant inspections of specific industrial assets. Or, again, in the automotive sector, for the assembly of components and interior installations, a method that adds flexibility and the possibility of dynamic reconfiguration of factory activities. No less interesting is their use in intralogistics, where humanoids can deal with the handling and management of goods, helping to optimize storage and distribution processes. Even in data centers, to replace operators in maintenance and surveillance tasks, to detect anomalies and guarantee timely interventions, minimizing system downtime.
We are experiencing a market situation in great turmoil. In the United States, Musk announced plans to bring the humanoid robot to work on Tesla’s assembly lines during 2025, and then put it on the market in 2026. “Among the most advanced companies, also in light of a latest $675 million funding round in 2024 with investors such as OpenAI and Nvidia, Figure AI should certainly be mentioned,” says Rallo. And then Boston Dynamics, one of the few incumbents that has undertaken the development of industrial humanoids, Apptronik and Agility Robotics, Sanctuary AI. China is no different. In pole position is Ubtech, which has raised more than a billion dollars and is now listed on the Stock Exchange, followed by Unitree, Agibot and Fourier Intelligence. Finally, Europe with OneX, a Norwegian company that is moving to the United States, the German Neura and the Italian Oversonic.
Figure AI has begun producing the second humanoid generation designed to perform complex tasks in industrial settings. In 2024, Figure AI partnered with BMW to test the robot’s capabilities in automotive production.
So many players competing to be the first in product industrialization. Digit, developed by Agility Robotics, was for example chosen by Amazon to work in the warehouse. Apollo, developed by Apptronik and tested by Mercedes-Benz, Figure 02, produced by Figure AI in partnership with OpenAI, is being tested in BMW plants.
Nvidia’s models for robotic super-intelligence that can understand and interact with the physical world
At the forefront of the development of technologies enabling robotic super-intelligence, the American Nvidia which has released several new models on the market grouped under the name of Cosmos. The goal is to improve support for robotics, simulate real-world environments and predict outcomes based on text, image or video inputs. Like traditional LLMs, Cosmos models are able to understand and generate text, which is crucial for interacting with users and performing complex tasks. But, unlike LLMs, they are specifically designed to understand and interact with the physical world.
Like traditional LLMs, Nvidia’s Cosmos models are capable of understanding and generating text. However, they are specifically designed to understand the physical world and interact with it.
They are trained on large amounts of visual and sensory data, which allows them to understand and predict the behavior of objects and systems in the real world. The main goal of the Cosmos models is to boost the development of robotics and autonomous vehicles. The models can be used to train robots to perform complex tasks, such as manipulating objects, navigating unfamiliar environments, and interacting with humans. Agility Robotics, Uptronik, Boston Dynamics, Sanctuary AI, Unitree, and Robotics are among the companies that are adopting Nvidia’s robotics development platform to develop solutions based on Cosmos-style models.
Anatomy of the new generation humanoid robot. Figure 02 is 1.70 meters tall, weighs 70 kg and can walk at a speed of 4.2 km/h and can lift loads of up to 25 kg
Figure 02 is now able to converse with humans through built-in microphones and speakers. The robot’s hands, an element that Figure AI has invested heavily in, feature 16 degrees of freedom and can lift up to 25 kg.
Figure AI, the start-up founded by Brett Adcock, financially backed by Nvidia, Amazon and OpenAi, has begun producing the second humanoid generation designed to perform complex tasks in industrial settings. Equipped with advanced artificial intelligence, they are able to learn new tasks and adapt to different situations. In 2024, Figure AI partnered with BMW to test the robot’s capabilities in automotive production. The results were promising: Figure 02 demonstrated that it could accurately handle sheet metal components and assemble them, showing remarkable dexterity and ability to interact with the surrounding environment. Compared to the previous Figure 01 model, the battery capacity has increased by 50%, the on-board AI computing and inference unit is three times more powerful, thus making it possible to have robots with a high autonomy index. The new model is equipped with six RGB cameras to perceive the surrounding environment and an integrated vision and language model for rapid visual reasoning. Thanks to the partnership with OpenAI, Figure 02 is now able to converse with humans through built-in microphones and speakers. The robot’s hands, an element that Figure AI has invested heavily in, feature 16 degrees of freedom and can lift up to 25 kg.
The humanoid robotics of the Chinese Ubtech used in the Foxconn plants dedicated to the production of iPhones
Foxconn, the Taiwanese multinational company specializing in the production of electronic components and the assembly of devices, is integrating the humanoid robots of the Chinese Ubtech into the production lines of iPhones. Walker S1, equipped with the ability to carry loads of up to 16.3 kg, is designed to handle complex and demanding tasks at Foxconn’s plant in Zhengzhou, China. After intensive two-month training, the robot will be used to expand applications beyond logistics, including assembly and quality control.
Powered by Ubtech’s BrainNet framework, a team of Walker S1 humanoid robots work together to handle complex tasks in the smart factory of Zeekr, a Chinese electric car manufacturer.
Ubtech is already working on the next generation Walker S2. It will have a load capacity of 20 kg and will include improvements to meet Foxconn’s production needs. The focus is on greater precision in the handling of small and delicate components. And more flexibility, thanks to more advanced vision systems and more powerful artificial intelligence algorithms With these improvements, the Walker S2 promises to increase productivity and ensure higher quality on assembly lines.
