Humanoid Robot Sales Hit 7,000 Globally, Industry Eyes Rapid Growth

Around 7,000 humanoid robots were sold worldwide in 2025 for industrial and professional service applications, according to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). The number remains small compared with the broader robotics market, but forecasts point to a sharp increase in humanoid robot shipments in the coming years. China Emerges as a Key Market The relatively modest sales figure comes as the humanoid robotics industry attracts billions of dollars in investment and increasing attention, particularly in China. The country is the world's largest market for industrial robots and recently showcased humanoid robots running and boxing at its robot games. Under the IFR's criteria, a humanoid robot must have a human-like appearance and operate autonomously in an environment designed for humans. The definition does not require the robot to have legs. The IFR data, reviewed by Reuters ahead of publication, provide one of the first industry-wide measures of humanoid robot sales. Humanoids Remain a Small Part of Market Despite the growing interest, humanoid robots remain a ‘fraction’ of the overall global robot population, Susanne Bieller, secretary general of the Frankfurt-based IFR, told Reuters. For comparison, around 542,000 regular industrial robots were installed globally in 2024. Another estimated 199,000 service robots were sold that year for applications including transport, hospitality and cleaning. The IFR is scheduled to publish its 2025 data for industrial and service robots on September 24. Bieller said that many humanoid robots sold in 2025 were not being used for productive work. Instead, research institutions and companies purchased them to generate data aimed at improving artificial intelligence models. Carmakers are among the key early adopters. However, deployments remain limited, with companies running pilot programmes involving "single-digit or sometimes double-digit numbers of robots in their plants", Bieller said. Also Read: Travel & Hospitality: 4 Business Models Driving Industry Growth Humanoid Robot Shipments Could Rise Sharply The IFR compiled robotics statistics for three decades and only recently started collecting separate data on humanoid robots alongside its much larger industrial and service robot datasets. Bank of America Global Research estimates that 90,000 humanoid robots will be shipped in 2026, rising to 1.2 million by 2030. The IFR's tally is based on information from suppliers and national industry associations. It excludes consumer and military humanoid robots, while medical robots are classified separately. The figures therefore cover industrial and professional service applications, offering an early snapshot of a market that is still small but attracting significant investment and technological development.