Emerging robotics trends for 2025

The democratization of AI

Artificial intelligence (AI), which has been around for years, is changing manufacturing methods. Up to now, however, it was a complex and difficult tool to use.

To integrate AI in their processes, companies often had to develop their own personalized librairies. This required specialized labour and represented a sometimes unsurmountable challenge for small businesses.

Nowadays, however, more and more companies, in particular in the area of vision systems, are offering their own machine learning algorithms. Companies therefore no longer need to develop their own code. They can use the tools supplied by their providers for character or bar code recognition.

For entrepreneurs, this is progress that reduces risks and breaks down barriers to entry. I think it’s a trend that will continue in 2025.

Robot as a service: a commercial model that’s booming

The software as a service, or SaaS model, is today a dominant commercial model for software. In robotics, a similar model—robot as a service (RaaS)—is rapidly evolving.

Up to now, manufacturers had to purchase the systems that they wanted to add to their production lines—at least most of the time. However, robotics solutions providers are increasingly offering their clients the possibility of leasing turnkey systems. These systems may include not only the robots, but also the software, sensors and maintenance services required to ensure their optimal functioning. Contracts can be spread over several years, and billing can be monthly or based on the number of hours of use.

Once again, this is an option that reduces risks for manufacturers. It’s also a model that reduces initial costs, because it categorizes robotics as an operating expense rather than an investment expense.

Stay tuned, as this is another trend to watch in the coming year.

Increasingly autonomous robots

Mobile autonomous robots can perform a wide variety of tasks. They are very helpful for carrying merchandise in warehouses, for instance.

Up to now, most of them used 2D laser identification, detection and ranging (LIDAR) systems for guidance. To get around on the site, they mapped space in two dimensions. Their main issue, however, was that they tended to get lost in a dynamic environment with many changes. They couldn’t find their way because their integrated maps no longer matched their physical environment.

Today, we are seeing more and more autonomous mobile robots guided by AI-driven 3D vision using Visual SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping) technology. This technology combines AI and 3D vision to allow robots to make smart decisions based on their environment, thereby providing greater precision and robustness even in complex, dynamic environments. Unlike former systems, the new ones allow robots to find their way around more easily and to move with more precision to better navigate their environment.

Collaborative robots or cobots are also taking off. While this is not a new technology, these robots are easier than ever to operate.

In the past, a company purchasing such a robot had to program it themselves. While easier to program than a standard industrial robot, qualified personnel and the time to configure everything were needed.

At the Advanced Design & Manufacturing Expo, I saw a growing number of companies offering simplified, almost turnkey solutions. For instance, a number of providers are now offering complete systems for cobot palletizers with interfaces so easy to program that it is increasingly not worth developing your own system. These solutions facilitate integration and reduce the need for qualified labour. In particular, I saw palletizing robots that can be configured in two hours.

Overall, while cobots are nothing new, their integration time has plunged, and will continue to improve in 2025.

Humanoid robots: still out of reach for SMEs

As for humanoid robots, while there weren’t any at the expo, they have been a hot topic lately, whether at the expo or more broadly in the advanced manufacturing community. Many major players in the sector, such as Tesla and Xiaomi, are investing massively in this technology, and progress is rapid. For example, BMW recently announced that its fleet of humanoid robots had been updated, for travel speed gains of 400%.

While this type of news is exciting, such technology is still out of reach for the average SME. It still needs a lot of R&D to mature. Accordingly, for 2025, it’s a trend that I don’t yet see on my radar.

Let’s revisit this in 2026.

Next step

Learn how to plan and execute industrial automation projects in your company by downloading our guide for entrepreneurs, Harnessing the Power of Industrial Automation and Robotics.