Robotics in the real world

Robotics have been on the factory floor for a long time, offering repetitive motion and precision at scale. That picture still holds – but it doesn’t contain the whole story anymore. 

Because across industries, robotics is expanding outward into airports, retail environments, restaurants, and much more, with systems designed to operate in settings where conditions change moment to moment. 

Every year at LEAP the robots we meet are more capable, and useful. We’re seeing robotics enter a phase that’s defined by deployment at scale – driven by advances in AI and anchored in measurable industrial demand. 

A market already at scale 

The numbers are already significant. As detailed by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), there were 542,076 industrial robots installed globally in 2024, marking the second-highest annual total on record. 

That brought the global operational stock to 4,663,698 robots, up 9% year on year. It’s a strong sign that we’ve taken a big step away from early experimentation into a sustained deployment phase. 

Geographically, the centre of scale is concentrated. Asia accounted for 74% of all new installations, with China alone responsible for 54% of global installations in 2024. 

Changes in where robots work 

The industrial core remains strong, but the composition is evolving. According to the same IFR report, electronics became the largest sector for robot adoption (24%) in 2024, overtaking automotive at 23%. 

And simultaneously, robotics is extending beyond traditional manufacturing environments. McKinsey notes that robots are increasingly being deployed in airports, large-format stores and restaurants, moving into environments that require more flexibility and interaction with real-world conditions. 

Adaptation is becoming just as important as automation

This expansion is enabled by a new layer of intelligence. McKinsey describes robots today as systems capable of operating autonomously or semi-autonomously, adapting to new inputs with increasing dexterity. 

The development of foundation models for robotics allows machines to generate responses across a broader range of scenarios – instead of just following fixed routines.

The World Economic Forum describes this evolution as the rise of ‘physical AI’ – systems that combine hardware, AI and vision capabilities to enable machines to perceive, reason and act in dynamic environments. 

A layered system for physical work

Underneath the hardware, we’re witnessing the formation of a broader system. 

The World Economic Forum identifies three complementary approaches in robotics:

• Rule-based systems for structured tasks
• Training-based systems for learned behaviours
• Context-based systems that interpret and respond in real time

Together, they form a layered approach to physical work, which combines predictability with adaptability.

The pressure to adopt comes from a number of different directions, including rising complexity, workforce shortages, and heightened global uncertainty. 

How will this drive the next phase of robotics? 

The next phase will rely on effective, efficient deployment across sectors. 

We expect to see:

• Continued growth in Asia, particularly China
• Expansion into service environments beyond manufacturing
• Increasing use of AI-driven perception and decision-making

Robotics is becoming embedded across industries – moving from specialised applications into broader operational use. 

Join us at LEAP from 31 August – 3 September 2026 to discover the latest in robotics development and adoption.