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Hyundai Plans to Deploy Humanoid Robots at U.S. Factory Starting in 2028

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Hyundai Motor Group said it plans to begin deploying humanoid robots at its U.S. manufacturing plant in Georgia from 2028, marking a major step toward automating higher-risk and repetitive factory tasks.

The company unveiled the production version of the Atlas humanoid robot — developed by its subsidiary Boston Dynamics — at the Consumer Electronics Show. Hyundai did not disclose costs or volumes but said it ultimately aims to roll out the robots across all its manufacturing sites as part of its push into “physical AI.”

Atlas robots will initially handle parts sequencing from 2028, with duties expanding gradually as safety and quality benefits are validated. By 2030, Hyundai expects the robots to move into component assembly and, over the longer term, take on heavy-load, repetitive and complex tasks.

Hyundai said the robots are designed to reduce physical strain on workers and improve safety. Atlas can lift up to 50 kilograms, operate autonomously and function in industrial environments ranging from minus 20 to 40 degrees Celsius.

The company added that it is accelerating development through partnerships with AI leaders such as Nvidia and Google, as humanoid robots are expected to become a key segment of the emerging physical AI market.

Specialized Robots Surge as Investors Favor Function Over Flash

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Investors are pouring billions into task-specific robots that prioritize utility over flair, signaling a shift from the pursuit of humanoid machines to efficient, profitable automation. These boxy, utilitarian robots — more warehouse workhorse than sci-fi android — are quietly transforming industries by doing one thing well: repeating a task reliably and cheaply.

Instead of dancing or flipping like Boston Dynamics’ Atlas, these machines haul industrial parts, collect waste, deliver hospital supplies, and inspect equipment. The appeal? Predictable performance, scalable deployment, and a clearer path to returns.

“We’ve found that by solving a very specific problem in a high-need area like healthcare, we can create a sustainable business model,” said Andrea Thomaz, CEO of Diligent Robotics, maker of the hospital-assistant robot Moxi.

Investment Boom in Purpose-Built Robots

According to PitchBook, robotics firms raised $2.26 billion globally in Q1 2025, and over 70% of that went to companies building task-focused robots — a clear vote of confidence in function-first machines.

  • Ati Motors, based in Bengaluru, has deployed hundreds of its Sherpa Tug robots across 50+ industrial sites, hauling loads of over 1,000 kg for clients like Hyundai, Bosch, and Forvia.

  • ViaBot, backed by Era Ventures, focuses on automating trash collection in parking lots.

  • Diligent Robotics’ Moxi helps in hospitals by handling supply deliveries and lab sample transport, reaching product-level profitability.

CEO Saurabh Chandra of Ati Motors credited Nvidia’s Orin NX chip for enabling real-time AI on the edge, reducing dependency on cloud infrastructure and improving robot autonomy.

Humanoids Lag Behind in Practical Use

In contrast, companies pursuing general-purpose humanoid robots face serious challenges:

  • Lack of physical training data: Unlike language models trained on internet-scale datasets, robots must learn by doing.

  • Cost and complexity: Hardware alone can cost $50,000–$200,000 per unit, much higher than the $5,000–$100,000 range for task-specific bots.

  • Limited environments: Even advanced humanoids like those from Figure AI are confined to structured settings like car factories.

“(True) general-purpose robots have not really been invented yet,” said Marc Theermann, Chief Strategy Officer at Boston Dynamics. “Anyone claiming commercial general-purpose deployment is over-promising and will under-deliver.”

Boston Dynamics is instead capitalizing on niche opportunities like Spot, a quadruped robot used for industrial inspection.

Strategic Outlook

Investors see current deployments of functional robots as proving grounds for a future where humanoid robots may eventually scale, once reliability and cost barriers are overcome.

“There will be robots built for a task doing something very useful, very cost-effectively,” said Raja Ghawi of Era Ventures. “And as that gets better, people will realize there is a good reason to have a full humanoid.”

Google Introduces New AI Models for Rapidly Growing Robotics Industry

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Google, the parent company of Alphabet, unveiled two new AI models on Wednesday, designed specifically for the rapidly advancing robotics industry. These models, based on Google’s Gemini 2.0 framework, aim to accelerate the development of robots across various sectors, especially in industrial settings.

The robotics field has experienced significant progress in recent years, with AI-driven advancements enabling faster commercialization of robots for tasks in factories and warehouses. Google’s new models are tailored to meet the growing demand for smarter robots capable of performing complex tasks.

The first model, Gemini Robotics, integrates vision, language, and physical action, enabling robots to interact with their environment through physical output. The second model, Gemini Robotics-ER, provides robots with a deeper spatial understanding, allowing them to reason and run programs with greater autonomy, expanding their capabilities.

These models cater to all types of robots, including humanoids and industrial robots, which are increasingly being adopted in warehouses and factories. Google emphasized that its AI models are designed to help startups reduce costs and speed up product development, which is crucial in a market where robotics innovation is moving quickly.

Google’s AI models have been tested on its ALOHA 2 bi-arm robotics platform but are versatile enough to be customized for other robots, such as Apptronik’s Apollo humanoid robot. Apptronik recently raised $350 million to scale production of its AI-powered robots, with Google participating in the funding round alongside other investors.

Though Google once owned the robotics firm Boston Dynamics, known for its advanced robot designs, it sold the company to SoftBank Group in 2017. However, the launch of these new AI models shows Google’s continued interest and involvement in the robotics space.