robots

Ukraine's digital transformation minister Mykhailo Fedorov has announced plans to deploy an 'army of robots' on the battlefield, according to Le Parisien. The initiative aims to replace human soldiers on the front line with unmanned ground and aerial systems, reducing casualties in the war against Russia. Fedorov, who has driven Ukraine's rapid wartime adoption of drone and autonomous technology, framed the effort as the country's new strategic bet to offset its manpower shortage.

Ukraine's Operation Vivaldi has reportedly erased recent Russian gains, with robots carrying out combat airdrops and clearing mines during the counterattack. The operation defeated a Russian pincer movement, and the prominent role of unmanned ground systems in the fighting is drawing attention to how robotics are reshaping battlefield logistics and assault tactics in the war.

New figures show China accounted for 59% of global industrial-robot installations in 2025, cementing its position as the world's dominant market for factory automation. The share dwarfs installations in Europe and North America, underlining how Chinese manufacturers are automating faster than any other region amid rising labour costs and competition in electric vehicles and electronics.

Robotics companies in the United States, China and Korea are competing to secure the data needed to train humanoid robots. As the industry moves from lab prototypes toward commercial deployment, access to large, high-quality training datasets is becoming a key competitive resource, prompting firms to collect motion, sensor and interaction data at scale across the three countries.

A robot described as the world's first embodied AI system built on a fully domestic electronic architecture has been unveiled. According to an expert cited in the report, the milestone marks a shift from developing key components toward underlying autonomy in robotics, reducing reliance on foreign chips and control systems. The announcement is drawing attention as countries compete for leadership in embodied AI and domestic hardware supply chains.

China plans to open new manufacturing facilities in Kazakhstan, including plants producing robots, cars and pharmaceuticals. The projects deepen economic and industrial cooperation between the two neighbours and fit Kazakhstan's push to attract foreign investment and diversify its economy beyond raw materials. The announcement is drawing attention across regional media as a sign of expanding Chinese industrial presence in Central Asia.

Japan is reportedly planning to study replacing some of its military personnel with humanoid robots. The move would address personnel shortages and reduce risk to soldiers, and it has drawn attention given Japan's pacifist constitution and its leading robotics industry. Details on which roles could be automated and the timeline remain limited.

Amazon, once the robotics industry's biggest customer, is increasingly designing and manufacturing its own warehouse robots in-house rather than purchasing them from outside vendors. The shift, highlighted in industry commentary from the Association for Advancing Automation, marks a turning point for the robotics sector, which has long relied on the retailer's enormous purchasing power. Observers are weighing what the move means for traditional robot suppliers competing with their former top client.

China now accounts for roughly 60% of global humanoid robot patents, underlining its widening lead in the robotics sector, according to a report carried by the Korea Herald. The patent dominance points to heavy Chinese investment in humanoid technology and raises questions about future competitive pressure on US, Japanese, Korean and European firms racing to commercialise humanlike robots.

Ukraine says its forces have inflicted around 3,000 Russian casualties using ground combat robots dropped or deployed up to 10km behind enemy lines. The claim highlights Kyiv's growing reliance on unmanned systems to compensate for manpower shortages. The casualty figure comes from Ukrainian sources and has not been independently verified, and Russia has not responded to the reported toll.

Seoul is moving to remove regulatory obstacles so delivery robots can operate and park inside apartment complexes. The plan would allow autonomous robots to deliver food, parcels and groceries directly to residents' doors in South Korea's high-density housing, where such machines are currently restricted. It signals the city's push to accelerate commercial robotics services in everyday urban life.

The Yuelu Conference 2026 opened in Changsha, Hunan Province, China, on September 23–24, bringing together artificial intelligence companies, robotics developers, researchers and investors. The event featured an opening ceremony and ten themed "AI+" forums covering applications of AI across industries, positioning Changsha as a growing hub for China's AI and robotics sectors.

Former Ukrainian defense official Fedorov has announced the launch of an initiative called “Army of Robots”, aimed at expanding the use of robotic systems. The announcement is drawing attention from defense and robotics observers, who see it as a sign of the growing role of unmanned ground systems in modern warfare and of Ukraine's push to automate military operations.

Stellantis has introduced a Dexory robot described as an AI-powered vision-scanning system. The automaker is turning to autonomous scanning technology to monitor its operations, reflecting a broader push by carmakers to bring artificial intelligence and robotics into manufacturing and logistics. Details about where the robot is deployed and what it will measure were not immediately disclosed, but the news has drawn attention from those following automation in the auto industry.

A new benchmark called RoboHarm examines whether frontier AI models used to control robots refuse unsafe instructions. The project, hosted by RoboCurve, raises safety questions about AI-driven robotics as language-model-based policies move into physical systems. Discussion is active among robotics and AI safety communities, with many debating how well current models handle harmful or dangerous commands before deployment.

South Korean robotics startup Now Robotics is preparing a formal entry into the defense sector, centered on maintenance, repair and overhaul services for military robots. The company plans to formalize its defense business push on November 4, positioning itself in the growing market for servicing robotic systems used by armed forces.

Construction firm Suffolk Construction is using Spot, the quadruped robot dog developed by Boston Dynamics, drawing attention to how automation is entering the building industry. Coverage highlights the robot's role in site inspection and data collection, and the story has sparked wider conversation about robots taking on practical tasks in construction workplaces.

Dealroom examines arguments from Waddle Labs and RoboCurve that general-purpose large language models, rather than bespoke robot-specific systems, are likely to dominate robotics development. The analysis suggests broad AI foundation models could outpace specialized approaches as robots increasingly rely on general reasoning capabilities.

Researchers have developed a wind-up, elastic-powered robot that can keep jumping indefinitely as long as it is supplied with infrared light, which recharges its elastic mechanism. The design points to small, battery-free jumping robots that could operate for extended periods in hard-to-reach places.

Pope Leo is calling on people to 'remain human' amid rapid advances in artificial intelligence and robotics, according to a National Catholic Reporter commentary. The piece frames his message against emerging metaphors like cyborgs and centaurs — humans merged with or dependent on machines — and asks what it means to preserve human dignity, judgement and relationships as technology reshapes daily life. The appeal has drawn attention as debates over AI's role in society intensify.

A bar staffed by robot bartenders is set to open in Kyoto, Japan. The venue's operators stress that despite the futuristic setting, the robots are not controlled by artificial intelligence. The announcement is drawing attention as novelty robotic service venues continue to attract curiosity among locals and tourists in Japan's hospitality industry.

Aldi is processing large volumes of fresh produce through its automated distribution warehouse in the UK, part of the discounter's push to use robotics to speed up supply and cut costs. The facility handles the flow of goods to stores as the grocer expands automation across its logistics network.