Humanoid robot shipments skyrocket as China takes near total control
Global humanoid robot shipments surged 272 percent in the first half of 2026, reaching about 19,100 units, according to Smart Analytics Global. Chinese companies overwhelmingly dominate the market, accounting for 97 percent of shipments and 85 percent of demand. AGIBOT leads with 44 percent share, followed by Unitree at 31 percent, together representing three quarters of global volume. The biggest shift is not just in shipment numbers but in deployment: over 70 percent of robots are now used in industrial and commercial environments such as manufacturing, logistics and warehousing. China’s manufacturing ecosystem gives its vendors a strong advantage, enabling rapid iteration, lower costs and large scale testing environments. Despite the growth, SAG warns that major challenges remain in AI models, reliability, manipulation accuracy, safety and cost. The firm expects shipments to reach 60,000 units in 2026 and potentially 500,000 by 2030. However, geopolitical restrictions, especially US import rules, may slow expansion for Chinese vendors outside their home market.