On January 9, 2007, Steve Jobs presented the first iphone at the Macworld convention. Later, in June of that year, it was published and the world would never be the same.
Before this, few people thought it was important to have a computer in their pocket. Smartphones already existed, but were still mainly used for calling, texting and emailing.
The idea of a powerful pocket-sized device that could do shopping, banking, navigation, entertainment and more seemed absurd to most. If you had told them that within ten years their daily lives, their social lives and even their careers would revolve around this “piece of glass”, they would probably have laughed.
When people ask me about the future of humanoid robots, I often point to this moment because I think they could follow a similar trajectory. What begins as a curiosity and specialized platform can quickly grow into an essential tool for work and life.
Analysts at Morgan Stanley predict that the humanoid market could reach a value of more than 5 trillion dollars by 2050. Market signals indicate that we are already on this path: practical implementation is underway and the first implementations and pilot projects are about to be implemented.
Companies that once considered humanoids a curiosity are now changing their minds, and the technology is making headlines almost every day. With the prediction of 1 billion humanoid robots by 2050, major social changes may occur.
Meet your new robot colleague
Humanoid robots are entering industrial environments for the first time and this is already happening.
Agility Robotics’ Digit moves heavy containers to the GXO-powered Spanx warehouse in Atlanta. Figure 02 The robot works at the BMW Group factory in Spartanburg, South Carolina, helping factory employees with physically demanding tasks. Mercedes-Benz tests Apptronik Apollo for repetitive tasks.
These are just some of the ongoing pilot projects.
At Humanoid, we went from founding the company to testing the first prototypes with customers in less than a year, a pace that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. And I see growing interest from businesses everywhere I go.
The reason is simple: labor shortages are a new operational reality, especially in sectors such as manufacturing.
Last year, an Outlook survey by the National Association of Manufacturers in the US found that more than 71% of manufacturers were struggling to attract and retain employees.
Globally, the problem will only worsen as the population ages. The United Nations predicts that the number of people aged 65 and over will more than double, from 761 million in 2021 to 1.6 billion in 2050. The number of people aged 80 and over is growing even faster.
This is where humanoid robots come in.
For companies, the benefits are clear: higher efficiency, fewer workplace accidents, predictable costs and a greater competitive advantage. Yes, humanoids are very expensive these days, but remember the first smartphones?
As it grows, prices drop quickly. Bain & Company reports that unit costs for humanoid robots will decrease by more than 40% between 2022 and 2024, while labor costs in the EU will increase by 5% between 2023 and 2024.
For ordinary people, this means that we will be interacting with humanoids much sooner than we think. Some of us might see them in stores, others might team up with their humanoid counterparts. But these possibilities also raise new questions.
How can humanoids be integrated into human workplaces? Should they be considered tools, assistants or teammates? How can we rethink workflows so that robots and humans collaborate? We don’t have all the answers yet, but we need to find them quickly.
The next wave of humanoid nurses, caregivers and caretakers
The next challenge for humanoid robots is the service economy, and the timing couldn’t be more critical. According to the WHO, one in six people in the world by 2030 will be 60 years or older.
The proportion of people over 60 will increase from 1 billion to 1.4 billion. These demographic and economic changes will accelerate the demand for new types of workers.
One of the most obvious bottlenecks is healthcare. The WHO predicts that there will be a shortage of 11 million health workers by 2030, and that the gap will be greatest in low- and middle-income countries.
Humanoids won’t replace doctors, but they can complement human teams: They help nurses with physically demanding tasks like lifting patients, monitoring vital signs, carrying supplies or even performing rehabilitation exercises.
Japan gives us a glimpse of that future. With one of the oldest populations in the world, the country is already testing robots in nursing homes.
At the Shin-tomi nursing home in Tokyo, twenty different robot models are used to help the residents. For example, Pepper, who is currently “retired”, was responsible for the group exercises. The Japanese government sees this as an opportunity to combine its expertise in robotics to create a solution for seniors.
Of course, challenges remain and sustainability is a key challenge. Imagine a robot taking a break to recharge while helping to lift a patient.
That is why companies are intensively preparing for this change. UBTech recently introduced its Walker S2 with the ability to automatically replace its own batteries in less than 3 minutes, enabling 24/7 operation.
Hospitality is another sector that needs to change. We’ve already seen cleaning robots and delivery robots, but humanoid platforms promise to go even further.
They can offer room service directly to guests, handle luggage or help at the front desk. For hotels that are short on labor, this is a scalable way to maintain a high standard without burning out staff.
In a few years, this may become the new norm. Walking into a hotel and being greeted by a humanoid or walking into a hospital where robots are delivering equipment will feel increasingly natural.
Like today’s self-checkout machines, humanoids could become the backdrop of modern life. This is what “service” will look like in the 21st century.
At home: always well taken care of
Just as the iPhone redefined the meaning of personal computing, humanoid robots could redefine home life by bringing real physical assistance into every home.
We’ve all seen viral clips of robots unloading dishwashers, loading groceries or folding laundry. In the coming decade, all of this may become an everyday reality.
Companies are already moving in this direction. 1X positions its NEO Gamma as “your personal assistant and companion” with idyllic videos showing the coexistence of humans and robots.
Just a few days ago, the company made headlines by opening pre-orders. The first models, available in brown, gray and dark brown, are expected to be available in 2026. The NEO can be yours for $20,000 or with a monthly subscription of $499.
Figure AI, which started with industrial robots, has also expanded into homes, revealing that its humanoids will begin “alpha testing” in homes in 2025. Since then, his robots have been busy doing dishes, folding towels and washing clothes.
For aging societies, the implications go beyond convenience. For a 75-year-old living alone, a humanoid responsible for carrying meals, reminding them to take medications or helping with daily chores could mean the difference between moving into a care facility and being independent at home.
If smartphones made us “always connected,” humanoid robots could make us “always supported.”
The question is not if, but how soon
Skeptics often argue that humanoid robots are too expensive or bulky to be practical.
But I’ve heard these doubts before. The same was said about smartphones, PCs or other new technologies. I remember the first smartphones were bulky and too expensive. And then the app ecosystem exploded, prices plummeted, and suddenly we couldn’t imagine life without them.
Humanoid robots are in the same difficult but exciting phase. Currently, they are expensive, imperfect, and sometimes incredibly cumbersome. But give them a decade or less and they’re everywhere.
At some point, robots will reach a tipping point determined by several factors. First, the growing amount of data will make VLA models smarter.
The advent of new training methods, such as reinforcement learning or simulation, will help robots achieve and exceed human capabilities. New safety standards create confidence. Improved supply chains will reduce component prices and production costs.
Over time, the customers themselves will also change. As more businesses and consumers understand the true benefits of humanoid robots, their adoption will accelerate.
And like smartphones, humanoid robots will not be disposable tools. Smartphones have evolved from phones, cameras, GPS devices, wallets and entertainment centers.
Not only have they changed the way we communicate, but they’ve also reshaped our attention, our relationships, our work-life balance, and our love lives. Humanoid robots will provoke equally profound debates. What happens when a robot takes care of an elderly parent? What does this mean for privacy and security?
I don’t underestimate the road ahead, but I also know how quickly technologies accelerate when they reach a critical point of adoption. But humanoid robots are not entities. They constitute an infrastructure under development.
Today we are where smartphones were in 2007: they are just beginning to realize their potential. The real question is not whether these changes will change our lives, but how quickly.