Humanoid robots moved firmly out of the realm of speculation and into practical business discussion at the Humanoids Summit.
McKinsey and Company partners Ani Kelkar and Mikael Robertson outlined what it will take for the technology to transition from concept to commercial reality.
Speaking at the global Humanoids Summit, which brings together industry leaders focused on humanoid robotics and embodied AI, Kelkar and Robertson framed humanoid robots as an emerging capability that is close enough to warrant serious attention, but not yet mature enough for careless deployment.
Their tone was measured and commercial. Progress is real, driven by advances in artificial intelligence, sensing, mobility and battery systems, but value will be determined by execution rather than technical promise.
Kelkar focused on why interest in humanoid robots has accelerated across manufacturing, logistics and industrial environments. Unlike traditional fixed automation, humanoid robots are designed to operate in spaces built for people. This creates opportunities to automate tasks that are repetitive, physically demanding or increasingly hard to staff, without requiring wholesale changes to facilities.
However, Kelkar cautioned against broad ambitions. Replacing labour at scale is not the near-term reality. The most credible opportunities lie in clearly defined use cases with measurable productivity, safety or resilience outcomes.
Operational realism was a recurring theme. Kelkar noted that many organisations underestimate what it takes to deploy humanoid robots outside controlled environments.
Beyond core functionality, businesses must plan for training, supervision, maintenance and system integration. The real test is not whether a robot can perform a task once, but whether it can do so safely and consistently over long operating periods.
Robertson built on this by addressing the commercial gap between impressive prototypes and scalable deployment. He described this as the central challenge facing the sector.
According to McKinsey and Company, pilot programmes often struggle because the total cost of ownership is poorly understood. Hardware costs are only one factor. Uptime, maintenance requirements, software updates, integration complexity and workforce training all shape whether a deployment delivers a viable return.
Safety and regulation were also highlighted as critical constraints. For humanoid robots to operate alongside people without physical barriers, safety systems and regulatory frameworks must mature in parallel with the technology. Robertson emphasised that adoption will vary by region and sector, influenced by labour dynamics, regulation and risk tolerance.
The presentation brought the concept of humanoid robots closer, positioning them as no longer a distant concept but an emerging industrial tool that demands disciplined economics, realistic expectations and thoughtful integration into human-centred systems.
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