Global robotics industry races to turn AI into physical machines

By Dickson Omobola Experts in Physical Artificial Intelligence, AI, have said machines that perceive, reason and act in the physical world are transforming manufacturing and other sectors. Demand for robots continues to surge, with more than 22,000 humanoid robots shipped globally in the first half of 2026, representing a 300 per cent year-on-year increase, according to Counterpoint Research.

Shipments are expected to exceed 50,000 units by year-end. Dubai is also advancing its robotics ambitions through its Robotics and Automation Program, which targets the deployment of 200,000 robots over 10 years, up to 2032. Unitree, one of the world’s largest humanoid robot makers, with a 31 per cent share of the global market, will spearhead participation this year.

Other major participants include UBTECH, whose humanoid robots are deployed in car factories and being tested by Airbus; AiMOGA, Chery Auto’s embodied AI robotics brand; DEEP Robotics, a global leader in quadruped robots; and the UAE’s Micropolis Robotics, which provides autonomous patrol robots for Dubai Police. Against this backdrop, stakeholders said the latest technological advances would be showcased at GITEX World RobotiX, a new event at GITEX GLOBAL.

The event will bring together robotics pioneers and leaders in embodied AI from December 8 to 11 at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City Dubai. For instance, UAE-based Mangobot, a robotics solutions provider specialising in the deployment and integration of intelligent machines, will present a robotic workforce featuring autonomous general-purpose robots, patrol robots, multilingual robot receptionists and live robotic performances.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to experience wearable exoskeleton technology firsthand. Chief Technology Officer of Mangobot, Mazen El-Kurdi, said: “It’s less ‘come look at robots’ and more ‘come see what working alongside robots actually feels like.’” According to Lumos Robotics, its first-generation MOS robots completed more than 1,000 hours of continuous, failure-free operation at Mitsubishi Electric’s Changshu factory, performing material handling, quality inspection and screwdriving tasks.

The company will also showcase NIX S3, which will deliver a live dance performance demonstrating its 21 degrees of freedom, high-torque joints, agility and dynamic motion capabilities. Public Relations Director of Lumos Robotics, Cecile Wei, said: “Our demonstrations are designed to show the philosophy behind our products: robots need to do more than move.

They need to perform useful tasks reliably in real environments.” UAE-based Lootah Robotics, a robotics solutions and systems integration company, will showcase humanoid, quadruped, service, cleaning and telepresence robots from manufacturers including Unitree, AGIBOT, Pudu Robotics, UBTECH and EngineAI. General Manager of Lootah Robotics, Hazem Ghazal, said: “We are not simply supplying individual robots; we are building an integrated robotics ecosystem.

Our stand will showcase how organisations can select different robots for different requirements while maintaining centralised visibility and control.” Advances in embodied AI, where AI models are integrated into physical bodies or hardware systems, are creating opportunities for robots to interact more naturally with people across consumer services, education, entertainment and domestic environments.

China’s Light Origins, which develops humanoid robots and intelligent robotic systems, will make the first public appearance of its ‘bunny-shaped’ robot, with live demonstrations of household scenarios offering visitors the opportunity for hands-on interaction. Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Light Origins, Tingxiang Fan, said: “We believe our bunny-shaped robot is ready to enter consumers’ homes.” Meanwhile, Raydiculous, a bionic robotics innovator from the Chengdu Humanoid Robot Innovation Centre, will make its Middle East debut with two innovations.

Its TP01 humanoid, designed for commercial interaction and public services, can communicate in English and Arabic and perform synchronised movements. Alongside it, DINOBOT, described by Raydiculous as the world’s first intelligent bipedal walking bionic dinosaur, will demonstrate realistic movement and interactive capabilities.