Of Note
The big issue in robot innovation right now is the vast gap between rapid technological progress and the frameworks (ethical, safety, regulatory, and strategic) needed to integrate these systems responsibly into society and industry.
Robots have made impressive strides—from safety monitoring in factories to emerging household assistants—but the bigger challenge now is weaving them into the fabric of society. Without clear ethical guardrails, legal frameworks, security standards, national strategies, and workforce readiness, robotics innovation risks being unbalanced—potentially causing harm, stunting adoption, and widening inequalities.
Artificial Intelligence
AI-driven robotics reshaping infrastructure and automation
A new digital order is taking shape, with artificial intelligence scaling beyond tools into full systems. AI-driven robotics is shifting from novelty to infrastructure, and programmable capital is moving from speculation to real-world economic layers.
A new ‘eye’ may radically change how robots see
The low-power robotics system LENS merges a brainlike sensor, a chip and an AI model
Innovation
Humanoid robots play soccer in China
AI-powered humanoid robots faced off in a 3-on-3 game of soccer in Beijing, as a preview for the upcoming World Humanoid Robot Games set to kick off in August in China’s capital. The robots were completely autonomous, and were even designed to stand up on their own after falling, but some still had to be helped off the field on stretchers.
Startup ForSight Wants Its Robots To Operate On Your Eyeballs
Cataract surgery is one of the world’s most common medical procedures, with more than 4 million of them done each year in the United States alone, but there simply aren’t enough doctors available to meet the demand for everyone who needs the surgery. Enter robotics. An Israeli startup is betting that robots can ultimately do the procedure better and cheaper than human doctors.
Technology
Amazon Hits 1 Million Robots - And They’re Not Slowing Down
Amazon just hit a major milestone, and it’s not about packages or profits. The tech giant now has 1 million robots working in its warehouses. Yep, you read that right. A million.
Robots Coordinate for Aerospace Assembly
Traditionally, aircraft assembly has been a labor-intensive, manual process. Robots have been a rare sight in aerospace manufacturing due to low production volumes and highly specialized parts.
Investment
Unicorn Startup That Makes ‘Superhuman’ Robots Plots Path to IPO
With a $1.65 billion valuation, Dexterity has secured “unicorn” status
Research
13 Million Humanoid Robots Will Walk Among Us By 2035
A report recently published by Morgan Stanley suggests that it could be less than 10 years before millions of them are working alongside us, playing with us, protecting us and providing care. And by 2050, there could be one billion of them among us.
Trends
Why Robots Will Displace Managers — and Create Other Jobs
While robot-adopting companies may shed some management and middle-skilled jobs, research shows that robots will increase employee head counts overall.