Global Sales of Humanoid Robots Reached 7,000 Units in 2025, IFR Reports
The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) released its first-ever dedicated statistics on humanoid robots, showing that around 7,000 units were sold globally in 2025 for industrial and service applications. Most of these units were purchased by research institutions for AI data collection and by automakers running small-scale pilot programs. The report provides a realistic quantitative baseline for humanoid robot adoption, contrasting the currently modest market size against massive industry hype and billions of dollars in investment. While early deployments remain small, analysts predict rapid market expansion toward 1.2 million annual shipments by 2030. IFR defines a humanoid robot as one that resembles the human form and operates autonomously in human-designed environments, though having legs is not strictly required. The statistics exclude consumer, military, and specialized medical robots, while traditional industrial robot deployments far outpaced humanoids with over 540,000 units sold in 2024.
## BACKGROUND
Humanoid robotics has attracted immense capital due to breakthroughs in generative AI and embodied intelligence, which enable machines to understand physical environments. However, moving from high-profile technology demonstrations to reliable factory automation requires extensive data collection and long trial phases. Standard industrial robots still dominate modern automated manufacturing due to their lower cost, precision, and established reliability.