Is There a Robot in Your Future?

As I was making my normal early morning rounds to various media websites last week, I came across this CNBC headline: "U.S. tech giants are betting big on humanoid robots — but China’s already ahead, analysts say." The key points listed for the article included:

• "Investor excitement surrounding the robots has been mounting amid increased mentions from tech leaders like Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and ambitious plans from Tesla’s Elon Musk.
• "However, analysts warn that U.S. firms could lose out to China, which aims to replicate its success with electric vehicles in the nascent robotics space."

I must admit that I was a bit shocked by this story, and I confess that I had a bias toward these topics being largely fake news and/or good fodder for science fiction movies.

However, after doing some more research from reliable sources, I quickly came to the conclusion that I am actually late in covering a tech trend that will have significant impact and even influence over cybersecurity stories as we head toward 2030.

HUMANOID ROBOT ROUNDUP

Let’s start with this article with embedded video from Interesting Engineering: "Brainy US humanoid robots walk like humans with smooth heel strikes." The examples shown from version one to version two of their software are striking.

“A new video released by the firm showcases its humanoid robots walking with a more fluid, natural motion, replacing the usual stiff, mechanical gait.

"According to the firm, Figure 02 uses reinforcement learning (RL) in a physics simulator, simulating years of data in hours. Domain randomization enables seamless, zero-shot transfer from simulation to real-world walking.

“'We have presented a natural walking controller learned purely in simulation using end-to-end reinforcement learning. This enables the fleet of Figure robots to quickly learn robust, proprioceptive locomotion strategies and enables rapid engineering iteration cycles,' said Figure in a statement.

"In February, the firm introduced Helix, a Vision-Language-Action (VLA) model combining perception, language understanding, and control to tackle key robotics challenges."

Also, check out this video showing natural walking from the latest robots:
Next, from China, we have amazing pictures from conferences on this humanoid robot topic: "Humanoid robots shine at 2025 Zhongguancun Forum."

Finally, check out this video with “9 Humanoid Robots That Are Shaping the Future of Work”:

WHERE IS THIS ROBOT TREND GOING?

The big question on people’s minds is, what can these robots actually do for me, and at what cost?

I like this piece from AZO Robotics: "What to Expect from the Robotics Industry by 2030." Here's an excerpt:

“The rise of professional service robots is set to be a defining trend in the robotics industry by 2030. While industrial robots have traditionally led the market, service robots are quickly gaining ground across various sectors.

"These robots perform essential tasks like cleaning, security, medical care, and customer service. By 2030, the market for professional service robots is expected to reach $170 billion, overtaking the demand for traditional industrial robots. This growth will be driven by factors such as demographic shifts, labor shortages, and an increasing focus on efficiency and automation.

"In countries like Japan, Germany, and the United States, aging populations will create a need for robots capable of assisting with elderly care, providing mobility support, and offering companionship. Meanwhile, the healthcare sector will see robots performing routine tasks such as hospital disinfection, medication distribution, and even surgical assistance. With the continued expansion of e-commerce, service robots will streamline logistics, improving delivery times and enhancing supply chain operations.

"By 2030, healthcare will be one of the sectors most transformed by robotics. One of the key drivers of this change is the growing demand for robotic surgery, which is known for its ability to enhance precision and reduce recovery times. While systems like the Da Vinci robot are already in use, by 2030, surgical robots will be even more advanced, allowing for minimally invasive procedures with greater accuracy.”

WHAT ABOUT CYBERSECURITY?

The next question that many are asking is, can robots be hacked?

Of course, the answer is yes, humanoid robots, as well as other types of robots, are powered by software, which is connected and can be hacked in numerous ways.

Another consideration is just malfunction and control. This video shows an example: "AI Robots SHOCK The Internet: Humanoid Attacks Crowd":
With the merger of AI and robotics, we will see additional trends developing.

Check out this video called “Boston Dynamics SHOCKS AI WORLD with Announcement! Atlas is BACK!”:

WHAT ABOUT GOVERNMENT USE?

Some readers are no doubt wondering how these robots can help with government services.

Back in 2023, this article showed "6 Significant Ways that Robotic Process Automation Helps State and Local Governments." They included:

• Data Migration for State and Local Government
• Public Sentiment Analysis Made Easy
• Data Entry With Boosted Security and Protection
• Application Processing and Review Digitalized
• Automated Report Generation and Analysis
• Security Improvement With Proactive Technologies

Fast-forward two years, and we have the General Services Administration's Federal Robotic Process Automation Community of Practice, which says “the annual State of Federal RPA Report assesses the maturity and impact of RPA programs across the federal government, identifies federal RPA trends, and highlights best practices for future deployment. The 2024 report showed growth in automations, and how RPA teams have used them with a targeted focus on agency mission delivery and improving citizen service.”

FINAL THOUGHTS

One more video. This excellent commentary describes many trends in humanoid robots and also states that pricing is currently under $100,000 and heading to less than $20,000 over the next few years for a general-purpose humanoid robot. Indeed, you may start to see these robots in high-end homes over the next few years.