Robots from across the globe gathered in Silicon Valley to showcase a possible vision of the future.
Two robots used orange-tipped claws to pick up T-shirts, folding and stacking them neatly. A small, cheerful robot with bright eyes formed a heart with its mechanical hands, while another tiny robot wearing a bear hat threw playful punches. A blue-green robot, styled like an anime character, moved its head and arms.
A childlike robot designed for teaching shared a message:
“By teaming up, humans and robots can solve big problems like making education more accessible, caring for people, and protecting our planet,” said Codey, a robot from Mind Children, a startup based in Washington state.
These robots, along with around 2,000 attendees, participated in the two-day Humanoids Summit at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View. Unlike standard industrial robots, humanoid robots resemble humans and replicate human movements.
Summit insights and market developments
The event brought together robotics companies from the United States, China, Japan, and other countries.
It included presentations from representatives of Google, Disney, and Boston Dynamics, alongside demonstrations from California startups like Weave Robotics, Dyna Robotics, and Psyonic.
The summit was organized by California-based venture capital firm ALM Ventures. With investors increasingly funding robotics companies, the race to integrate AI into physical robots that can interact with humans in real-world settings has intensified.
By early December, U.S. humanoid robotics startups had raised nearly $2.8 billion in venture capital in 2025, a sharp increase from $42.6 million in 2020, according to PitchBook data. California-based humanoid robotics companies received the bulk of that investment, totaling around $1.6 billion.
Figure, an AI robotics company based in San Jose that created a robot capable of handling dishes, laundry, and other household chores, announced in September that it had raised over $1 billion in funding and reached a valuation of $39 billion.
Expanding Roles and Innovations in Robotics
Robots have been developed for a wide range of tasks, including lifting heavy items in warehouses, assisting customers in stores, supporting medical professionals, performing on battlefields, and entertaining visitors at theme parks.
Startups are also working on building the essential components for robots, such as hands, sensors, and cameras. Meanwhile, tech leaders have made ambitious predictions about their potential.
This year, Elon Musk claimed that Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus, could “eliminate poverty,” outperform humans in productivity, and boost the global economy.
However, some analysts caution that robots are still far from meeting these expectations and question whether they will be genuinely useful for businesses or consumers.
“They’re impractical. They have limited capabilities. They’re not nearly as intelligent as they appear in demonstrations,” said Bill Ray, analyst and chief of research at Gartner.
There are additional worries that robots could replace human jobs and infringe on privacy.
Robots as Human Partners
Robot developers, however, emphasize that their products are intended to assist humans rather than replace them.
Modar Alaoui, founder and general partner of ALM Ventures, believes that robots will first gain traction in manufacturing. His firm recently launched a $100 million early-stage fund, part of which is earmarked for humanoid robot startups.
He explained that robots are expected to take over the repetitive, hazardous, and monotonous tasks that need to be done daily. “This shift happens naturally, moving from simple automation to advanced, intelligent automation,” he said.
The Humanoids Summit highlighted the current technical limits of robots. Most of the machines on display are not fully autonomous; many still rely on pre-programmed actions or human control.
Market Development and Real-World Implementation
The market for human-like robots is expected to expand significantly. Morgan Stanley Research predicts that by 2050, the humanoid robot market could reach $5 trillion—potentially double the size of the automotive industry—and estimates that over 1 billion humanoids could be in operation by then.
Currently, in 2024, a humanoid robot costs around $200,000 in high-income countries, but Morgan Stanley projects that price could drop to $50,000 by 2050 as technology improves and production scales up.
Weave Robotics Unveils Laundry-Folding Robots
California-based startup Weave Robotics, known for its laundry-folding robot, has begun placing its machines in laundromats. The company, founded by former Apple engineers Evan Wineland and Kaan Dogrusoz, plans to launch a new robot called Isaac next year, designed to fold laundry and help tidy homes.
Ahead of an upcoming conference, one of the company’s robots was on display at Sea Breeze Cleaners in San Francisco, folding shirts behind a large window facing the Noe Valley sidewalk.
The unusual sight drew attention from passersby, who stopped to watch and take photos. While the AI-powered robot folds clothes more slowly than humans, it works methodically, tackling one pile at a time.
The company and Sea Breeze Cleaners partnered with Tumble, an on-demand laundry delivery service that uses robots to speed up the laundry process.
Robots for Work, Not Joy
Kay Astorga, who co-owns Sea Breeze Cleaners with her husband, says the robot has helped draw new customers to their laundromat.
Working alongside the robot has made her realize she prefers machines that look more mechanical than human, similar to the Disney-Pixar character WALL-E. She doesn’t want robots handling tasks that bring joy, like baking.
“I don’t want a croissant made by a robot,” she said. “But a shirt folded by a robot? That’s fine with me.”
While other California companies, such as Figure and 1X Technologies, are developing advanced home robots with human-like forms and legs, Weave Robotics’ laundry-folding machine doesn’t require a full humanoid body. This keeps installation costs below $10,000 and ensures operating expenses remain “extremely low,” according to Wineland.
The company is also in discussions with businesses in manufacturing and hospitality. It plans to install a third robot at a laundromat in Walnut Creek early next year.
Weave Robotics’ forthcoming home robot, named after science fiction writer Isaac Asimov, will be more expensive because it will be mobile, feature wheels, and include premium functions. The company envisions users interacting with it via an app to give commands.
Robots for Dangerous and Specialized Tasks
Some robots handle hazardous tasks that workers prefer to avoid.
Agility Robotics, based in Oregon with an office in San Jose, has been deploying its two-legged robot, Digit, in warehouses as well as in manufacturing and logistics operations.
“There’s a lot of manual work involving heavy lifting, and people can get cut or injured,” said Pras Velagapudi, Agility Robotics’ chief technology officer.
Digit, which has claw-like grippers instead of hands, can lift up to 35 pounds. Companies such as Amazon have employed the robot for repetitive tasks like moving empty totes.
Agility charges companies for the labor provided by its robots, and, like others in the industry, the company installs protective barriers around the machines for safety.
In California, startups are also developing components for robots, and sometimes for human use as well.
At a recent summit, San Diego-based startup Psyonic showcased robotic hands mounted on multiple arms resembling the Spider-Man villain Doctor Octopus. Psyonic makes the bionic ‘Ability Hand,’ which robots use and humans with limb loss wear. Sensors in the hand allow users to feel touch when gripping objects.
Aadeel Akhtar, CEO and co-founder of Psyonic, shared that his inspiration for developing bionic limbs came from meeting a girl with a missing limb during a childhood trip to Pakistan with his parents. The company raised funds through equity crowdfunding and the TV show Shark Tank and is now working on prototypes for both arms and legs.
Looking ahead, Akhtar expects robots to become increasingly common.
“They will be more integrated into society,” he said. “It’s no longer such a novel idea.”
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