Robotics is starting to attract the kind of attention that artificial intelligence software has enjoyed for years, and Andrew Kang, chief executive of RoboStrategy, argues that the shift is overdue. In a conversation with Digital Journal, Kang said the sector matters because it pushes AI out of screens and into the physical world, where machines can take on labor that has so far remained stubbornly human. He compared the opportunity to the way cloud computing turned computing power into a scalable service, saying robots could do the same for physical work across industries.
That thesis is gaining support from market forecasts that point to rapid expansion. Morgan Stanley has projected that the global humanoid robot market could eventually reach $5 trillion by 2050, while Grand View Research estimates the market at $2.4 billion in 2025 and expects it to climb to $40.5 billion by 2033. The same report says North America held 43.4% of the market in 2025, reflecting strong early interest in the region. Separately, Grand View Research values the broader artificial intelligence in robotics market at $20.4 billion in 2025, rising to $182.7 billion by 2033, underscoring how quickly AI-enabled machines are moving from concept to commercialization.
Kang said adoption will likely unfold in stages rather than through a sudden consumer breakthrough. Industrial deployments, he argued, are already moving ahead in settings where labor shortages are acute and tasks are repetitive. He sees factory floors, warehouses and other structured environments as the first places where robots can scale, with healthcare, hospitality and eventually domestic use following later as the technology becomes safer and more capable. Deloitte’s 2026 outlook similarly points to rising installed capacity in industrial robotics and to a broader spread of AI-powered machines across factories, utilities and drones.
The biggest obstacle, according to Kang, is not software but manufacturing. Producing robots at mass scale will require supply chains for actuators, sensors and specialized mechanical systems that do not yet exist in sufficient volume. That bottleneck matters because the market is already moving beyond pilot projects. Robotomated estimates the global robotics market at about $65 billion in 2026, up from roughly $55 billion in 2025, while Smart Analytics Global recently forecast that humanoid and quadruped shipments will rise sharply through 2030 as enterprises increase adoption. The same report said China accounted for most demand in 2025, a sign that regional competition is intensifying.
Kang also sees defense as an important accelerant, though he noted that many robotics applications are dual-use and can serve both civilian and military needs. Even so, he said the most underappreciated opportunity may be in stationary systems such as robotic arms and collaborative robots, especially for factories, laboratories, hospitals and commercial kitchens. That view aligns with wider industry expectations that AI, falling hardware costs and rising investment in semiconductors will keep pushing robotics outward from the factory into everyday life. For now, the sector remains early. But if Kang is right, the next major technology boom may not be about software alone, but about intelligence that can move, lift and work.
Disclaimer: This article may have been created with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team. It is provided for general informational purposes only. Readers should verify information independently before relying on this content.
