Global Robotics & Physical AI
China dominates robot volume: Chinese-developed quadruped robots took close to 70% of global unit sales by June 2026 (MIIT), and China installed 295,000 industrial robots in 2024, with an operational stock of 2 million (IFR). The world's robot stock grew 9% in 2024.
20 verified facts tracked for this market — each with its source, reporting period and evidence tier. Tier 1 = primary institutions (central banks, statistical offices); tier 2 = disclosed industry panels.
| Metric | Value | Geo | Period | Tier | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of EU/EEA/UK enterprises planning to adopt AI technologies within two years, Ipsos survey for European Commission | 18% of surveyed enterprises | T1 | digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu | ||
| Share of employers globally reporting labour/recruitment difficulties, GFP Employer Survey (OECD) | 80 / 33% of employers reporting some recruitmen | T1 | oecd.org | ||
| China-developed quadruped robots' share of global unit sales (close to) | 70percent | CN | 2026-06 | T1 | miit.gov.cn |
| EU enterprise AI-adoption gap for autonomous robots/self-driving vehicles/drones, by firm size | 7.2% of EU enterprises | European Union | 2024 | T1 | oecd.org |
| Knightscope consolidated sales and marketing expenditure | 5142USD thousand | US | 2024 | T1 | sec.gov |
| US robotics-using businesses reporting improved STEM worker skills | 20.7percent | US | 2022 | T1 | census.gov |
| Importance rating of robotics compared with other business technologies | 47.1% of businesses using robotics saying ro | United States (proxy for global robotics/physical AI) | 2022 | T1 | census.gov |
| US robotics-using businesses reporting no overall impact on STEM worker skills | 56.6percent | US | 2022 | T1 | census.gov |
| Share of US robotics-adopting firms reporting an adverse factor limiting continued adoption/intensity of use | 36% of robotics-using US firms | US | 2016-2018 (2019 Annual Business Survey technology module) | T1 | www2.census.gov |
| Size distribution of US manufacturing plants with active robots, by employee-count band, 2022 | 10.7 / 14.9 / 18.0 / 27.9 / 22.2 / 4.1 / 2.2% of robot-adopting plants in each employee-size band, 2022 Economic Census: 0-5 / 6-20 / 21-50 / 51-150 / 151-500 / 501-999 / 1000+ employees | T1 | www2.census.gov | ||
| Robotics users whose process performance objectives were met or exceeded | 83percent | Not disclosed (Peerless subscriber survey) | 2024-01/2024-02 | T2 | mmh.com |
| Intralogistics survey respondents employed by companies with annual revenue below USD 50 million | 40percent | Not disclosed (Peerless subscriber survey) | 2024-01/2024-02 | T2 | mmh.com |
| Prospective intralogistics robot adopters planning to work with robotics vendors | 63percent | Not disclosed (Peerless subscriber survey) | 2024-01/2024-02 | T2 | mmh.com |
| Robotics users whose total cost of ownership expectations were met or exceeded | 79percent | Not disclosed (Peerless subscriber survey) | 2024-01/2024-02 | T2 | mmh.com |
| Manufacturing professionals reporting labor turnover disrupted production, L2L survey 2024 | 80% of respondents (survey of 600+ manufacturing professionals) reporting labor turnover disrupted production, leading to slower deliveries | United States | 2024 | T2 | deloitte.com |
| Robot density in manufacturing, North America | 204robots per 10 | NA | 2024 | T2 | ifr.org |
| Annual installations of industrial robots in China | 295,000units | CN | 2024 | T2 | ifr.org |
| Average cost to replace one skilled frontline manufacturing worker, UKG Workforce Institute survey 2024 | 10000-40000US$ per worker replaced; 60% of respondents report this range (survey of 300+ HR leaders at US manufacturing companies); 56% report employee turnover has moderate-to-severe bottom-line impact | United States | 2024 | T2 | deloitte.com |
| Operational stock of industrial robots in China, largest in the world | 2million units | CN | 2024 | T2 | ifr.org |
| Year-on-year growth of worldwide operational stock of industrial robots | 9percent | GLOBAL | 2024 | T2 | ifr.org |
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