Humanoid Robotics Market Outlook for UK Industry

The humanoid robotics market is poised for significant growth in the coming decades, with projections suggesting it could reach several trillion dollars. In the UK, this potential trajectory is no longer a distant vision but a reality that is already shaping industrial and workforce changes. This shift is particularly relevant for eeNews Europe readers, as it connects market projections with practical implications for manufacturing, automation strategies, and skills planning, areas where European engineers and system designers are likely to experience early impacts.

As the market for humanoid robotics expands, household and industrial use cases are moving closer to widespread adoption. Analysis referenced by the Royal Bank of Canada indicates that the market could reach $9 trillion by 2050, with early demand driven by household applications. These domestic use cases are expected to account for a significant portion of the market, paving the way for initial volumes and cost reductions. Simultaneously, industrial and enterprise adoption of humanoid robotics is gaining momentum, with research suggesting that technology leaders view robotics, extended reality, and digital twins as interconnected tools rather than isolated innovations.

Survey data reveals that 40 percent of UK organizations are planning to deploy humanoid robots within the next year, with 76 percent believing that such systems will quickly become a common presence in working environments. This shift could lead to increased use of humanoid platforms in manufacturing and logistics for repetitive or hazardous tasks, working alongside human labor rather than replacing it.

Looking beyond deployment numbers, the findings also underscore the implications for engineering skills and system design. A majority of respondents anticipate that digital twins and extended reality tools will play a crucial role in prototyping, process optimization, and workforce training. Additionally, robotics programming is identified as a key hiring priority for AI-related roles, alongside expertise in machine learning.

Reflecting on these developments, Ayesha Iqbal, IEEE Senior Member and Engineering Trainer at the Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre, emphasized the transformative impact of digital twins, extended reality, and robotics on the way work is conducted. She noted that what was once considered experimental is now integrated into daily operations, from simulating production lines to training new employees in realistic virtual environments. Iqbal highlighted the increasing importance of programming robots and interpreting data from digital twins, emphasizing that these skills have become essential in a landscape where fluency in systems, modeling, and automation is key.