About 7,000 humanoid robots were sold worldwide last year for industrial use and professional services, according to data compiled by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) and provided to Reuters before their official publication, BTA reported.
The relatively small number contrasts with forecasts for rapid market growth in the coming years, especially in China - the world's largest market for industrial robots. Last month, the country showcased humanoid robots that run and box during robot competitions.
According to the IFR criteria, to be considered humanoid, a robot must have a human-like appearance and be able to operate autonomously in an environment designed for humans. Legs are not required.
The data is among the first attempts to measure the humanoid robot market across the industry – a technology that is attracting billions of dollars in investment and is the subject of increasingly impressive demonstrations.
However, the number of humanoid robots remains only a small fraction of the total number of robots in the world, Susanne Bieler, secretary general of the Frankfurt-based IFR, told Reuters.
For comparison, in 2024, about 542,000 standard industrial robots were installed worldwide, and another approximately 199,000 service robots were sold for use in transportation, hospitality and cleaning. The 2025 data for industrial and service robots will be published on September 24.
According to Biller, many of the humanoid robots sold in 2025 were not performing production work, but were purchased by research institutions or companies that use them to generate data to improve artificial intelligence models.
Automakers, which were among the first companies to implement the technology, are currently conducting pilot projects with single-digit or sometimes double-digit numbers of robots in their factories, Biller said.
The International Federation of Robotics has been collecting statistics on robotics for three decades and for the first time is collecting separate data on humanoid robots alongside the much larger categories of industrial and service robots.
„Bank of America Global Research“ (Bank of America Global Research) predicts that about 90,000 humanoid robots will be shipped this year, and by 2030, their number will reach 1.2 million. Expectations for rapid market growth are particularly high in China - the world's largest market for industrial robots, where production of humanoid machines is accelerating, although actual demand is currently lagging behind.
The International Federation of Robotics statistics are based on data from suppliers and national industry organizations. It does not include consumer and military humanoid robots, and medical robots are classified separately.