Fewer Than 20 Companies Expected to Deploy Humanoid Robots in Supply Chains by 2028 Says Gartner
- Gartner predicts that fewer than 100 firms will move humanoid robots beyond the pilot stage, with fewer than 20 reaching production use.
- Polyfunctional robots are projected to outperform humanoids in cost, uptime, and operational flexibility across warehouse environments.
Humanoid robots are getting attention from supply chain leaders looking to address labor shortages and high costs. But according to a new report from Gartner, the technology isn’t ready for widespread use.
According to the report, fewer than 100 companies are expected to take humanoid robots beyond experimental phases by 2028, and fewer than 20 will implement them in production for manufacturing or logistics. Most uses will remain confined to controlled environments due to challenges around dexterity, system integration, battery life, and cost, factors that currently limit their effectiveness in high-throughput operations.
By contrast, Gartner says that polyfunctional robots, which use task-driven designs like wheels and telescopic arms, are better suited to dynamic warehouse tasks. These alternatives offer higher uptime and energy efficiency, with Gartner advising CSCOs to focus investments on outcome-driven automation rather than unproven humanoid platforms.
“Companies with a high risk appetite and focus on innovation are the best candidates for pursuing humanoid robots at present, given the unproven capabilities of these solutions, and related lack of clarity for return on investment,” said Caleb Thomson, Senior Director Analyst in Gartner’s Supply Chain practice, in a press release. “For the majority of companies that will need to prioritize robots that maximize throughput-per-dollar invested, we expect polyfunctional robots to be the superior solution.”
🌀 Tom’s Take:
Humanoids are hard, and task-specific robots are the focus in the near term.
Source: Gartner
