IFR Counts 7,000 Humanoid Robots Sold in 2025, Mostly for Research

- About 7,000 humanoid robots sold globally in 2025, mostly for research - Industrial deployment limited to small pilot projects On September 21, 2026, Reuters reported that the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) recorded worldwide sales of approximately 7,000 humanoid robots in 2025. The majority of these robots went to research institutions and AI developers for experimental purposes, while only a small portion was deployed in pilot projects at factories. As a result, this pattern highlights the continued niche status of humanoid robots within the broader robotics industry. According to Reuters on September 21, 2026, the IFR stated that most of the 2025 humanoid robot sales went to research labs and AI development facilities. The organization noted that only “single-digit or sometimes double-digit numbers” were adopted for industrial pilot projects. However, this level of adoption stands in stark contrast with the conventional industrial robotics market, which saw 542,000 units installed in 2024, and the comparison underscores the comparatively limited uptake of humanoid technology at this stage. Meanwhile, institutions such as Bank of America Global Research have issued ambitious projections. Reuters reported on September 21, 2026, that Bank of America Global Research forecasts shipments of 90,000 humanoid robots in 2026 and as many as 1.2 million by 2030. Nevertheless, the current market remains dominated by experimental use cases, and most humanoid robot sales have yet to deliver consistent operational value in commercial or industrial settings. Therefore, ongoing development and testing still represent the bulk of activity in the humanoid robotics sector.