Robotics is a matter for top management

 Jens de Buhr, festival host of the BIG BANG AI FESTIVAL and publisher of DUP UNTERNEHMER- Medien

Robotics is currently undergoing a revolution—sparked by the power of artificial intelligence. Never before have so many robots been installed in factories as today: According to the new “World Robotics” report by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), the number of industrial robots worldwide has doubled to over 4.6 million units.

In 2024 alone, 542,000 new machines were added – more than twice as many as in 2014. At the same time, the market for service robots used in logistics, medicine, and hospitality grew by a further nine percent. Despite all the doom and gloom, Germany is one of the most important locations for robotics – and yet the industry is at a crossroads. Because the next big leap in innovation is happening now. And not, as before, solely through ever-improving mechanical precision, but through intelligent systems that can see, hear, react, feel, and learn independently. In other words, AI is becoming the soul or new operating system of the new generation of robots. The competition is fierce, and China is ahead of the game. I saw this for myself in the summer during a delegation trip with our community DUP UNTERNEHMER. Robots are becoming increasingly humanoid.

AI as the driving force behind a new era of robotics

So-called “service robots” – machines that are used outside of traditional industry – are particularly benefiting from the latest advances in machine learning. Whether mobile transport robots in warehouses, cleaning robots in airports, or surgical robots in hospitals: wherever humans are lacking or precision is important, intelligent systems are increasingly taking over tasks. A few years ago, this was still unthinkable.

“We are seeing strong demand in almost all areas,” says IFR President Takayuki Ito. Transport and logistics robots are also in particularly high demand, with sales rising by 14 percent to more than 100,000 units in 2024. According to the IFR, medical robots are even recording record growth of 91 percent compared to the previous year. Robotics is thus no longer a niche topic, but a key factor for productivity, health, and social progress.

But while China is expanding its market share and already installing more than half of all new robots worldwide, Europe is struggling to keep pace technologically. In Germany, around 27,000 new industrial robots were put into operation in 2024 – the second-best result in history, but also evidence of growing competitive pressure.

Made in Germany: When robots learn to think

Right now, the innovative power of German companies is becoming apparent. Neura Robotics from Metzingen, for example, is considered a pioneer in the field of cognitive robotics. The young company is focusing on an alternative to purely mechanical solutions, specifically building AI models that are based on human perception: The robots can perceive their environment, recognize people, anticipate movements – and learn independently. “Our systems see, hear, feel, and understand the world in real time,” founder and CEO David Reger told me at our BIG BANG AI FESTIVAL in Berlin in September.

In 2025, the German robotics start-up acquired mobile robotics specialist ek robotics – a strategic move to combine stationary and mobile systems. The goal: robots should not only perform tasks, but also interact with humans. For this, the company received, among other things, the German Founders Award in the “Rising Star” category and the “Made in Europe – Award for Excellence” – awards that demonstrate the potential of German robotics when mechanics and AI actually go hand in hand.

Another example is the United Robotics Group (URG) from Stuhr in Lower Saxony. URG brings together eight European robotics companies and specializes in service robots for care, logistics, and hospitality. The humanoid systems – such as “uMe,” “uLog,” and ‘uServ’ – are designed to interact with humans rather than replace them. “We want to create robots that are socially intelligent,” says URG CEO Kerstin Wagner. The company was also represented at the BIG BANG AI FESTIVAL in 2025, where it impressively demonstrated how artificial intelligence is giving service robots legs.

When it comes to humanoid robots, robotics companies still face the biggest challenge of imitating the human hand. This was recently reported by Elon Musk, who is at the forefront of humanoid robot technology “Made by Tesla.” The same goes for Google, which is investing huge sums in hands with feelings. Once this nut has been cracked, the world will be a different place. Robots will then be able to tighten screws without overtightening them or perform complex tasks that require a delicate touch.

Germany needs a new robotics strategy

Germany has not yet been left behind in global competition. However, it must continue to pursue new paths consistently – there is no room for complacency. While Asia produces en masse, Europe's strength may lie in cognitive robotics. In other words, in the combination of high-quality engineering, data sovereignty, and AI-driven system intelligence. However, this requires clear political guidelines, investment in training, and closer cooperation between research, SMEs, and start-ups.

The first universities are already responding. The University of Magdeburg, for example, now offers a new degree program in AI and economics that specifically teaches skills for Industry 5.0. Such programs are crucial for the next generation of robotics engineers – people who understand technology, AI, and ethics in equal measure.

Stage of the future

At our BIG BANG AI FESTIVAL, it was amazing to see how close we already are to the future. Robotics companies such as United Robotics and Neura Robotics presented brand-new developments, including autonomous care assistants and adaptive logistics systems.

It's crazy how much interest in specific AI applications is growing: Companies understand that AI and robotics belong together. What is needed are not visions, but very pragmatic solutions – robots that intelligently support production processes, services, or service offerings. There is enormous potential for productivity gains here. The quality of the integration of AI and robotics will be the deciding factor for our competitiveness over the next ten years.

The new formula for competitiveness

We are at a decisive crossroads: if artificial intelligence is used comprehensively as a turbocharger for automation in the real world, it will create enormous potential in terms of economic efficiency. This requires platform strategies, open interfaces, investment in data infrastructure – and the courage to make robots a top priority.

AI-based robotics is no longer a distant dream of the future. It is happening – in laboratories, at trade fairs, in factories, and in care facilities. And it will determine whether Germany leads or merely follows in terms of technology.