Humanoid robots draw billions in investment, but just 7,000 sales worldwide
The number compares with 542,000 industrial and 199,000 service robots installed in 2024.
In 2025, approximately 7,000 humanoid robots were sold globally for industrial and professional service applications, according to data compiled by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). This figure falls far short of the billions of dollars in investments pouring into the technology and the impressive demonstrations showcasing humanoid capabilities.
Despite the hype, humanoids represent just a small fraction of the global robot population, with around 542,000 industrial robots and an estimated 199,000 service robots installed in 2024. Many of the humanoid robots sold in 2025 were not deployed for productive work but rather purchased by research institutions or companies aiming to gather data for enhancing AI models.
Major automakers are piloting single-digit or occasionally double-digit humanoid robots in their manufacturing plants. The IFR, which has been tracking robotics statistics for three decades, now includes humanoid data in its reports for the first time. Forecasts predict a surge in humanoid sales, with Bank of America Global Research estimating 90,000 units will be shipped in 2026 and 1.2 million by 2030.
The IFR's figures encompass supplier and national industry association data, but exclude consumer and military humanoid robots, as well as medical robots, which are categorized separately.
Written by urgent.news from Straits Times Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
