Global Scans · Robots · Weekly Summary

• [New] Bank of America now forecasts 90,000 humanoid robot shipments in 2026 alone, a figure that would have seemed delusional in 2023, rising to 1.2 million units annually by 2030. TechFastForward
• [New] Bank of America forecasts 90,000 humanoid robot shipments in 2026, rising to 1.2 million by 2030, as Boston Dynamics, Figure AI, and Chinese manufacturers simultaneously cross from pilots to commercial production. TechFastForward
• [New] The IRON robot will enter mass production in 2026. Gasgoo Auto News
• [New] Uber is leveraging its drivers as a sensor grid for self-driving tech, detailed in TechCrunch, which could accelerate autonomous vehicle development. Coaio Limited
• [New] Uber's Ambitious Plan for a Driver-Based Sensor GridUber is pushing the boundaries of autonomous vehicle technology with a bold initiative that could revolutionize how self-driving cars are developed and tested. Coaio Limited
• [New] OpenAI may be developing an AI-first smartphone targeting 2027, focusing on on-device intelligence, advanced processors, and next-gen memory to enable smarter, more autonomous user interactions. Digital Trends
• [New] In the surgery business, J&J plans to be a player in robotic surgery and filed for FDA approval of its soft tissue robot called OTTAVA. Yahoo Finance
• [New] Agentic AI, autonomous systems that plan and execute multi-step tasks, is the most significant new development in enterprise AI in 2026. High Peak Software
• [New] New frameworks purpose-built for agentic contexts will prove integral to creating the trust and safety required to deploy autonomous systems at scale, as governance becomes the foundation that turns agentic ambition into innovative growth in 2026 and beyond. WNS
• [New] The industry, projected to grow to $1,845.55 billion by 2030 according to Fortune Business Insights, is seeing developments in areas such as autonomous vehicles and AI deployment. BUSINESS 2.0 NEWS
• [New] Laser weapons reached a new milestone as the US Navy tested the AeroVironment (AV) LOCUST Laser Weapon System aboard the nuclear aircraft carrier USS George H W Bush, notching up a 100% kill rate against multiple aerial drone threats. New Atlas
• [New] New limits on data retention are undermining U.S. national security efforts to counter evolving drone threats. Lawfare
• [New] UBTECH plans a production capacity of 10,000 units in 2026, while Boston Dynamics plans a 30,000 unit capacity in 2028 for its Atlas robot. Technocracy News
• [New] Tesla plans to build a 1m unit Optimus robot production line with production starting at end-2026. Technocracy News
• [New] Budget outlines funding for autonomous drone warfare program as experts say military unprepared for risks The Pentagon is aiming to increase funding more than a hundredfold for an autonomous drone warfare program, signalling a major pivot towards AI-powered war. TECHMANIACS.com
• [New] The leap in robot agility shown by Sony AI's Ace demonstrates that real-world robotics is approaching reliability and effectiveness that could make AI-powered threats against physical environments plausible. TECHMANIACS.com
• [New] For investors in Q2 2026, the question is not whether Tesla sells the most cars next month, but whether its lead in physical AI will allow it to own the future of autonomous movement over the next decade. tradingkey.com

Last updated: 11 May 2026