At the K-Humanoid Alliance launch ceremony held at The Plaza Hotel in Jung District, Seoul, humanoid robots from Arobot, Rainbow Robotics, Robros, and Blue Robin were showcased. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 13 (Korea Bizwire) — Humanoid robots are emerging as a key industry of the future in the face of accelerating global aging, but overcoming critical challenges in power efficiency and control systems will be essential for mass adoption, a recent report by KDB Future Strategy Research Institute said.
Citing a February 2025 forecast by Morgan Stanley, the report projected that the global humanoid robot market could surpass $60 trillion by 2034—more than ten times the size of the current automotive industry.
Major global tech players are already heavily investing. In South Korea, Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor each operate robotics affiliates—Rainbow Robotics and Boston Dynamics, respectively—while LG Electronics acquired Silicon Valley-based Bear Robotics in January 2025.
Internationally, Tesla is developing its humanoid robot “Optimus” as its next flagship product, and NVIDIA recently unveiled an AI model tailored specifically for humanoid robots.
Hyundai Motor Group’s robotics affiliate, Boston Dynamics, announced on May 9 that it has released a video showcasing the AI training process of its humanoid robot, the “All-New Atlas,” ahead of its planned deployment in production sites later this year. The photo shows Atlas enhancing its AI-based learning capabilities in preparation for industrial deployment. (Yonhap)
Chinese firms are also advancing rapidly. UBTECH has deployed its humanoid robot “Walker X” in automotive factories, while Unitree Robotics drew attention by releasing a high-performance robot for approximately $15,000.
The sector’s rapid development is largely attributed to advances in artificial intelligence, particularly in multimodal machine learning, which allows robots to synthesize visual, linguistic, and sensory data to navigate the physical world with a human-like grasp of context. This is accelerating the timeline for robots capable of working autonomously without human prompts.
According to the KDB report, demographic shifts—especially the shrinking labor force and rising wages—are driving demand for humanoid robots. In the short term, industries like automotive and shipbuilding may adopt them to offset worker shortages, with broader applications expected in healthcare and general manufacturing automation.
However, technological barriers remain. Due to their complex movements and heavy AI computation, humanoid robots consume substantial power. Current battery technology only supports one to two hours of operation per charge.
Developing next-generation batteries with significantly higher capacity is critical, presenting potential opportunities for South Korean battery leaders like Samsung SDI and LG Energy Solution.
Advanced control systems also need improvement. While AI has enhanced robotic coordination, further innovation is required to process massive sensory data quickly and accurately. Additionally, efforts to reduce the weight and cost of high-precision control systems will be key to commercial viability.
“Energy efficiency and intelligent control will determine whether humanoid robots can become truly practical solutions for labor shortages in aging societies,” the report concluded.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
